Gospel Remission, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the wonderful Myſteries of Godlineſs in forgiveneſs of Sin.
THirdly, Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſins are forgiven, becauſe there is a glorious myſtery of godlineſs in forgiving of ſin; the work of God in forgiving a ſinner hath abundance of glorious myſteries in it, the Argument ſtands thus; That man or woman for whom God ſhall work, ſuch a work as hath multitude of glorious myſteries in it; that man or woman is bleſſed: But where ever ſin is forgiven, God works for that ſoul ſuch a ſtrange work, the ſtrangeſt that ever he did; a work that hath ſo many admirable myſteries in it, that in the opening of them will declare every way that this ſoul is bleſſed. And this is the buſineſs I would now do, to open the myſteries that are in the forgiveneſs of ſin; and it is to this end, that as I might ſet before you the great work of God in pardoning ſin, ſo alſo that you might have higher thoughts of it than ever you had before, for that's it I aim at, to raiſe up the thoughts of men to the right underſtanding of this great point of the Juſtification of a ſinner, that ſo you may ſanctifie Gods Name, by having ſuch thoughts of it as the thing it ſelf calls for.
Of the firſt Myſtery, it is by means of a Mediator.
1. Where ſin is forgiven, it is by means of a Mediator between God and the Soul, it is through the Mediation of the Son of God, obſerve it, for there is no point in all Religion is of greater uſe to underſtand, than this point of the way of God in pardoning of ſin, becauſe of the many myſteries of God contained in it; I hope I ſhall make it appear it is no ſlight work and buſineſs: Mark then, when God pardons ſin, 'tis always done through the mediation of the Son of God; God never pardons any ſinner as a Prince does; when a Malefactor hath offended him, he comes and humbles himſelf, caſts himſelf down at his feet, and cryes, I pray Sir forgive me, and he ſays, Well, I will forgive you; God never forgives any ſin thus; and yet it is thus with people when they come to God for pardon, moſt of them never think of any other way. Friends, there muſt be a great deal more than ſo: for whoſoever hath his ſins forgiven, it muſt be by the vertue of the mediation and interceſſion of the Son of God, he muſt ſtand up before the Father, and mediate for thy ſoul: if all the Angels in Heaven ſtood up to mediate, it would not be ſufficient; but the Son of God alone muſt do it; 'tis as if a Malefactors condition was ſo, that the mediation of all the Nobles could not prevail with the King for a pardon, but there muſt be the mediation of the Prince himſelf to obtain it: So I ſay, poor ſoul, thou mayſt think it a ſlight buſineſs, but know if ever thou art forgiven, it muſt be by the mediation of the Son of God, he muſt ſtand up to mediate for thee, and plead, Oh Father let ſuch a poor ſoul that hath been a Sabbath-breaker, a Lyer, a Drunkard, an Unclean perſon, let his ſins be forgiven, and let him not be damn'd, Father put in his Name for pardon: I ſhall not ſpeak of it how Chriſt mediates, but that is and has been his work from all eternity, to mediate and make interceſſion for thoſe he ſaw before in the eternal Council of God ſhould live in ſuch times; and whatever pardon of God is gotten, it is through him; and if thou poor man ever com'ſt to be pardoned, know Chriſt hath been mediating to God the Father for thee; Oh Father, ſuch a poor creature that dwells, it may be, in ſuch a Cottage, or in ſuch an obſcure place, let his name be put in for forgiveneſs. And now, is not this a bleſſed thing, that thou poor creature ſhould'ſt have the Son of God to mediate for thy name to be put in for pardon! this of a truth is ſo, if there be any truth in the Divinity of the Word, it is in this, That all the forgiveneſs and pardon any creature hath, it is by the mediation of the Son of God, and his heart was upon it from all eternity; ſurely here is abundance of grace in this one thing, take heed of abuſing it; this is the firſt myſtery, you muſt not look for pardon of ſin in a natural way to cry for forgiveneſs, but you muſt go in the Name of the Mediator in this myſtical way.
Of the ſecond Myſtery, It is through Chriſts undertaking the Debt upon himſelf.
2. The ſecond myſtery is this, 'Tis not Chriſts intreating the Father will ſerve the turn, If ever any ſin be forgiven, I beſeech you take notice of it, for I ſpeak in the Name of God, and therefore muſt take heed of ſpeaking any thing but the Truths of God unto you; if any ſin be pardoned, it is not for the Prayer of Chriſt, that will not do it; But God the Father ſays, Son, if you would have the ſins of poor ſouls forgiven, you muſt take the debt upon your ſelf, you muſt be their Surety, and you muſt enter into Bonds to pay everyfarthing of what debt the ſinners owe, you muſt pay all if you will undertake for them, ſo it is, for I will never come upon themſelves for it, but on you: Certainly there are theſe tranſactions between God the Father, and God the Son, from all eternity about the pardoning of any ſin, however you commit a ſin, and think not of it, and cry, Lord have mercy upon me, and ſo you have done with it, there's an end, you think that is all: But I ſay unto thee; if thy ſin be pardoned, Chriſt muſt take the debt upon himſelf, and be thy Surety, 2 Cor. 5.21. He made him to be ſin for us that knew no ſin; the way of pardon is by a tranſlation of all our ſins upon Chriſt, Chriſt himſelf God bleſſed for ever, the Delight of the Father muſt be made ſin for the ſoul that hath ſinned; conſider this, all the ſins thou haſt committed, if ever they be pardoned, they muſt be by vertue of the Covenant between God the Father and the Son: all thy ſin muſt be tranſmitted on Chriſt, all thy oaths, drunkenneſs, and wickedneſs muſt be put upon him, and he muſt ſtand charged with them all: Oh you that are ſo laviſh in ſin, and take ſuch liberty to do wickedly; I ſay, if ever thy ſin be pardoned, it muſt be laid on his ſhoulders, run on as faſt as thou wilt, if ever thou be'ſt ſaved, at the beſt, yet thy ſin muſt be ſet on him, and charg'd upon his ſcore. I remember that expreſſion of Nathan to David, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord hath put away thy ſin, the words are to be read out of the Original, The Lord hath made thy ſin to paſs over, to paſs over from thee unto his Son, he hath laid them to his charge: This is the ſecond myſtery in point of Juſtification, thou a poor ſoul ſtands charged with thy ſin, and art in danger of eternal damnation, rather than thou ſhould'ſt eternally periſh, God is contented to paſs over thy ſins upon his own Son. Now they muſt needs be bleſſed that God does ſo much for, and know thou if ever thy ſin be pardoned, God does do ſo much for thee.
Of the third Myſtery, It is by Chriſt's Sufferings:
3. Where ever ſin is pardoned, Chriſt ſtands charged not only with the ſin, but to ſuffer as much puniſhment for thy ſin as if thou wer't eternally damn'd for them; it is not ſuch a pardon, as that there is no puniſhment to be ſuffered, but whoſoevers ſins are pardoned, there is this agreement between God the Father and the Son, that his own Son ſhall ſuffer as much puniſhment, as if thou ſhouldſt ſuffer eternally the wrath of God for thy ſin, there is this done for thee; and ſurely that man is a bleſſed man for whom Chriſt is content to ſuffer ſo much as thy ſins comes to, or elſe thou muſt have been eternally damn'd, this Religion and the Goſpel teaches us, that we can never come to be pardoned by any other way.
Of the fourth Myſtery, Where Sin is pardoned, the Soul ſtands righteous before God.
4. There is this myſtery in it; Where ever ſin is pardoned, God does not only paſs by ſin and forgive it, but he makes the ſoul ſtand righteous before him; every juſtified man ſtands righteous before the Lord. A malefactor may come to a Prince, and be forgiven his fault, and yet not accounted a righteous man, he may be lookt upon as a wicked wretch ſtill, though out of free grace the Prince forgive him: But God never forgives the offence of any one ſin, but that man is ſet righteous before the Lord, this is done by an Act of Juſtification; I ſpeak not of Sanctification: A Prince may forgive a Traytor, but the Law is not ſatisfied; but God when he forgives ſin, takes ſuch a courſe as that the offence is not only forgiven, but the Law comes to be ſatisfied, and the ſoul ſtands before God as a righteous perſon; and ſurely he that is righteous muſt needs be bleſſed.
Of the fifth Myſtery, This Righteouſneſs is in another.
5. This Righteouſneſs is in another, and it is a higher righteouſneſs than ever that of Adam's was in Innocency; this is a great myſtery, that a ſoul ſhould ſtand righteous before the Lord, and yet in the righteouſneſs of another, not of his own, Phil. 3.8, 9, 10. St. Paul counted his own righteouſneſs as dung that he might be found in him, that is in Chriſt, Not having my own Righteouſneſs which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs of God that comes in by faith; and ſo Rom. 5. latter end, Chriſt is ſaid to be our righteouſneſs, ver. 19. As by the diſobedience of one many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one many ſhall be made righteous; 'tis a righteouſneſs transferr'd upon us beyond our own: Mark, in forgiveneſs, as our ſins comes to be transferr'd and put upon Chriſt, ſo the righteouſnes of Chriſt is transferr'd upon a juſtified ſoul, and that ſoul comes to be righteous before God; ſurely then, bleſſed is that man that comes to have the ſhining garments of Chriſts righteouſneſs upon him: Ahaſuerus could not think of a better way than this to honour Mordica more, than to cloath him with the Kings Royal Rayment, and proclaim before him, This ſhall be done to the man whom the King delights to honour; ſurely that man or woman is honour'd indeed, that God ſhall cloath with the ſhining Robes of the Righteouſneſs of his own Son; thou that waſt cloathed with the filthy rags of thy own ſin and wickedneſs, and had'ſt no other garments to ſtand in, in the preſence of God; now he puts on thee the Righteouſneſs of his own Son, and ſo thy iniquity comes to be covered: Oh that is a glorious Garment! all the Garments in the world bedeſt with Diamonds are but filthy Garments in compariſon of the Garments of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, that is put upon a man when his ſins are forforgiven.
Of the ſixth Myſtery, A near Union is made between Chriſt and the Soul.
6. When God comes to forgive ſin, the way God takes is this, he brings a man into ſuch a near Union with his own Son as makes thee to be one with …m; yea, ſo to be one with Chriſt as no two things in the world are joyn'd ſo together, as thou and Chriſt art; the Soul God pardons, he does it this way, 'tis not thou haſt ſinn'd and I will pardon thee, 'tis no ſuch ſlight buſineſs, as I may ſay, in a ſinners pardon; No, for when God forgives thee, he makes thee one with his own Son, ſo as no two things in the world are ſo near together as thou and Chriſt; therefore the Scripture expreſſes it by the Union of Branch and Root, Body and Members; that is a near Union of bones and fleſh in one body: ſo alſo the Union between Man and Wife is a near Union, but the Union between Chriſt and a juſtified Soul is nearer than any of theſe: there is one expreſſion in Scripture that Chriſt uſeth, Joh. 14.20. You in me, and I in you; there are no two things ſo nearly united, though the members be in the body, the body is not in the members; ſo the branch, though it be in the root, the root cannot be in the branch; but the Union between Chriſt and us, Is Chriſt in us, and we in him; He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit: It is a ſpiritual Union, and the Union of ſpiritual things is the neareſt that can be: Now, Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſins are forgiven, becauſe by this means, God brings the Soul and Chriſt to ſuch a near Union, that all natural Unions are but dark ſhadows of it.
Of the ſeventh Myſtery, It is by Faith, yet boaſting excluded.
7. It muſt be by Faith, and that is the moſt glorious work that ever God inabled a poor creature to do, yet boaſting muſt be excluded, the Scripture excludes boaſting from both, not only from the Law of works, but the Law of faith; but you may ſay, How can both be excluded both the law of works and the law of faith? for works they may be excluded ſay ſome, becauſe works are our own, but faith is the gift of God; God inables us to believe, therefore there can be no boaſting of faith becauſe it is the gift of God, but works are our own; this anſwer is but a fiction, for if we be inabled for the performance of any work, that is of God too; the work of any grace is the gift of God as really and truly as faith is the gift of God, all gracious works are performed by the grace and gift of God. Adam could not do what he did in Innocency, … by the gift of God; and therefore to ſay boaſting is excluded by faith, becauſe faith is the gift of God, will not ſerve the turn; therefore the myſtery of Juſtification is a great myſtery, that notwithſtanding faith is ſuch a glorious work, as it is one of the gloriouſeſt works that ever any creature did, yet that this ſhould be excluded, by this I cannot but be perſwaded, that there is more in the work of Faith than in any thing Adam ever had; and that faith the power of believing was not in Adam in the ſtate of Innocency: Why? Becauſe it is now made ſuch a grace as excludes all kind of boaſting: For were it but the ſtirring up of any power we had in Adam, it would no more exclude boaſting, than if God ſtirr'd up any other grace; as Love, Hope, Fear, and the like: But that it excludes boaſting, this may be the moſt ſatisfactory anſwer; Works they could not exclude boaſting? Why, though they were from the grace and gift of God, yet they belong'd to mans nature; for if God will make a rational creature, he muſt give it thoſe perfections that are due to that nature: Now the Image of God was in ſome regard due to ſuch a nature. But now, God when he comes to give faith, he gives a higher thing than ever was due to the nature of man; hence there is a greater myſtery in faith than in any other grace; and therefore it is a great myſtery that God ſhould juſtifie a man by faith, and yet this excludes boaſting more than any other thing.
I, but the Scripture ſays, God imputes faith for righteouſneſs; Object.and when God inables us to believe, Is it not our own?
Yea, when we have it, it is our own;Anſw. and when we are juſtified, it is imputed to us for righteouſneſs: but mark what I ſhall ſay, it will be uſeful for the underſtanding that Text in Rom. 4.22. Where, it ſays, faith was imputed to him for righteouſneſs; ye muſt not underſtand it thus, that is, that God did through the grace of Chriſt now accept of Abraham's faith as his righteouſneſs, whereby he ſhould ſtand to be juſtified by it in the ſight of God; he did not thus accept of faith for righteouſneſs; no, not through the mediation of Chriſt, nor by vertue of any Covenant made by God with Chriſt: God did never make any Covenant with Chriſt, that whereas man did owe obedience to all the Law, and that ſhould have been his righteouſnes had he continued in it; but man now being unable to perform it, that God would be now ſo favourable to him as that he would accept of faith for righteouſneſs, that is not the meaning of it, for the word in the Original tranſlated for righteouſneſs, it is thus, it was imputed unto righteouſneſs, it is the ſame word uſed in Rom. 10.10. With the heart man believeth unto Righteouſneſs, and with the mouth Confeſſion is made unto Salvation: Now Confeſſion with the mouth is not made Salvation it ſelf, but unto Salvation; ſo faith is not the righteouſneſs it ſelf, but unto righteouſneſs,Object. that is, by faith we come to get righteouſneſs: But why ſays the Scripture God imputed it unto righteouſneſs; I take it thus,Anſw. that foraſmuch as faith is ſo glorious a Principle (infuſed of God) above any thing of our own, God is pleaſed to account of it as if it were our own, and ſo imputes it unto righteouſneſs; the truth is, it is not our own; no not ſo our own as other graces are our own: but God in point of Juſtification is pleaſed to impute it as our own, that we may come to have righteouſneſs by it; as if it were our own: Now this is a great myſtery, that God in the work of pardon of ſin, ſhould do it by the grace of faith, and that this excludes all boaſting, and yet righteouſneſs imputed to it as if it were our own. Hence by the way, let us take heed of the Opinion of thoſe that ſay, faith it ſelf is imputed for righteouſneſs, and that God through Chriſt accepts of faith as the matter of our righteouſneſs: The Papiſts ſay we are juſtified by works, and that God is pleaſed through Chriſt to accept not of Faith only, but of Humility, Fear, Love, Repentance, Joy, &c. though they be imperfect, yet he is pleaſed to accept of theſe for our righteouſneſs; ſays the other opinion, faith is our righteouſneſs, though God might require exact obedience to the whole Law, yet he is pleaſed to accept of faith; both theſe Opinions are beſides the truth, and therefore there is the ſame danger in the one as in the other, and therefore both to avoided.
Of the eight Myſtery, God is infinitely Juſt, and yet infinitely Merciful.
8. The eighth particular is this, that ſhews pardon of ſin is a great myſtery, becauſe where-ever God pardons ſin, he is infinitely juſt, and yet infinitly merciful; there is an admirable reconciliation, between Gods Juſtice and Mercy, which ſhews it to be a great myſtery: There are three great myſteries in Religion, 1. The great myſtery of the Trinity, that there ſhould be divers Perſons and yet but one God. The ſecond is, that in the Perſon of Chriſt there ſhould be two Natures and yet but one Perſon. And then the third is, the reconciliation of the mercy and juſtice of God in the forgiveneſs of a ſinner. Many people when they ſeek for pardon of ſin, they only think of Gods infinite grace and mercy, but not of his juſtice: But certainly, who ever he be that comes to be pardoned, God ſhews himſelf infinitely juſt as well as merciful; that he is merciful, that is clear to every one: But how does it appear he is ſo infinitely juſt? for that there is a clear Text for it, Rom. 3.26. To declare at this time his righteouſneſs that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him which believeth in Jeſus; ſo that God in the juſtifying of him that believes in Chriſt is juſt as well as merciful.
Now then poor ſinner, lay theſe together, that God ſhould work ſo ſtrangely in bringing about the pardon of thy ſin in ſuch a myſterious way as this is; certainly it does demonſtrate that thou art a bleſſed man: I beſeech you think of what hath been ſaid, and lay it in your breaſts; go away with this upon your ſpirits, Lord, I indeed heard much of the evil of ſin, and that it was a greater evil than ever I thought it to be, and now I have begun to hear of the mighty work of God in pardon of ſin, I hope I ſhall for ever retain higher thoughts of it than before. Brethren, there is nothing in the world that people have ſlighter thoughts of, than of the pardon and forgiveneſs of ſin, they think it a ſlight matter. But if there were any work that ever took up the heart of God from all eternity, and ſhews God to be a God, it is this about the pardon of ſin; this is a great doctrine, the doctrine of the work of God in the juſtification of a ſinner, 'tis one of the greateſt Doctrines in Divinity, and therefore that you might ſanctifie the Name of God in it, and give him that glory that is due in this great work, it is needful to ſearch, that we may find out what is the work of God in it.
Of the ninth Myſtery, When God forgives ſin, for the preſent, he forgives all to come.
9. The ninth myſtery is this, and this may ſeem one of the ſtrangeſt of all, When God forgives a ſinner any one ſin for the preſent, he likewiſe forgives him all the ſins that ever he ſhall commit afterward, this is a mighty myſtery; for God when he takes a poor ſoul and forgives him his ſin, he does not only forgive him his preſent and paſt ſins, but lays in a pardon for all the ſins that ever ſhall be committed by him afterwards; this is a way of pardoning ſin proper to God alone; there is no creature pardons the offence one of another, ſo as God pardons here; therefore the Prophet cries out, Micah 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſions of the remnant of his heritage? Who is a God like to thee; who in all the world can pardon ſin as God doth? No Father pardons the ſin of a Child, no Prince the ſin of a Subject as God doth: Now, becauſe this is a point of admirable comfort to all the Saints of God, 'tis fit it be opened and made out, that when God pardons ſin at firſt, he gives in a pardon for all they ſhall commit afterwards; I manifeſt it thus, in Rom. 8.1. the Apoſtle ſays, There is now no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus: from whence I argue, Except God did pardon whatſoever ſins ſhould be committed when he juſtifies a ſinner, then at any time when a juſtified perſon ſins, until he renew an act of faith for pardon, there muſt be condemnation to him; for whoſoever is in ſuch an eſtate as hath any ſin unpardoned, for that inſtant he is in the ſtate of condemnation: But there is no inſtant of time, when it can be ſaid of any juſtified perſon, that he is in the ſtate of condemnation; I ſay no inſtant of time, for though a juſtifi'd perſon may fall into ſin after he is juſtified, yet at that inſtant when he falls into that ſin, there is by God apply'd a pardon, that was laid in before, although an act of faith be not renewed in regard of that particular ſin; that is the point I would make good, though it be true, there is required as our duty an act of faith to lay hold on our pardon, yea alſo it is required in reſpect of comfort too; for we cannot have comfort of the pardon of a new ſin committed, except there be a renewal of an act of faith: But yet this renewal of an act of faith, though it be neceſſary, becauſe commanded; and for our comfort, yet no abſolute neceſſity to free us from condemnation; but being once juſtified by Chriſt, there is a pardon laid up; ſo that upon any act of ſin newly committed, this pardon is apply'd by God himſelf, though we be not able by the renewal of a preſent act of faith, to ſue out pardon anew unto our ſelves. Nay the truth is, if this were not ſo, there could be no inſtant of time, wherein a believer was not in the ſtate of condemnation; for there is no inſtant of time wherein a believer doth not ſome way or other ſin againſt God: Further, it is apparent and undeniable, that there is not a neceſſity of renewing an act of faith upon every ſin committed for the pardon of it, this Argument cannot be denyed, becauſe otherwiſe, there muſt be a neceſſity of renewing an act of faith after the laſt act a believer doth; for in the laſt action a believer doth in this world, there is ſome ſin it: Now if there be ſome ſin in the laſt act of all, then there cannot be of neceſſity required another act, for the applying of the pardon of that ſin a believer did do in the very laſt act he did in this world: thoſe that hold a believer cannot finally fall away, yet ſay, he may totally; many hold that if once a man be juſtified, he can never go to Hell; but yet this they hold, that he may ſo ſin that he may be brought into a ſtate of condemnation; he may be brought into ſuch a ſtate,, that if he ſhould die at that preſent he ſhould periſh; but ſay they, God doth take care that he ſhall not die, till there be a renewing of an act of faith for pardon: I anſwer, there is nothing in Scripture to prove, there is not any inſtant of time wherein a believer may not die; and yet if he do die he muſt then periſh, becauſe an act of faith was not renewed; true ſay they further, that all ſins bring not into the ſtate of condemnation; there may be pardon of courſe for ſins of infirmity, but other ſins that waſt a mans Conſcience, there a believer is brought into the ſtate of condemnation, till there be a new act of faith renewed for pardon. I anſwer, If any one ſin, bring a believer, into the ſtate of condemnation after Converſion, where ſhall we put the limits; as to ſay, if you go but thus far, you are not in a ſtate of condemnation, but if you go a letter further you are; God puts no ſuch limits in Scripture, but all ſin in its own nature brings into a ſtate of condemnation, and yet no ſin brings a believer into the ſtate of condemnation; therefore this is a great myſtery of God in the pardoning of ſin, when God pardons the ſin of a believer, he does not only pardon what he hath done at preſent, but for what he ſhall do he lays in a pardon, and Chriſt hath purchas't it for us, for all ſins yet to come: 'tis like a Son running into arrears, his Father comes and pays his debts; but becauſe he ſees his Son will run further into arrears, he lays in ſo much as will pay all for time to come, that if he run into arrears he ſhall not be caſt into Priſon: juſt ſo it is with God, God pardons all our ſins at firſt, and then he lays up a Pardon, that if we run into arrears we ſhall not lie in Priſon to be condemn'd and ſuffer for them. This is a great myſtery, and they that teach otherwiſe rob the people of God of abundance of comfort that otherwiſe they might have, were this Truth made clearly known unto them.
Object.Is not this Doctrine a Doctrine of Liberty, If they have knowledge that God when he pardons for what ſins are paſt, and lays in a Pardon for what ſins are yet to come; May not People hence take liberty to ſin? May not they ſay, that though they do ſin, yet there is a Pardon laid in before hand for them?
Anſw.Here thou ſpeakeſt as one that underſtands not the grace of the Goſpel that thus objecteſt, it is another manner of thing than thou art aware of; there is not that malignity in the grace of the Goſpel to cauſe ſuch effects in the hearts of believers. Luther compares ſin to Lime, and the law to Water, that makes the Lime hotter; but the grace of the Goſpel ſays he is like to Oyl, and Oyl will quench Lime, but Water will not; ſo the Oyl of the Goſpel will quench the ſins of men; and certainly the more there is of the grace of God revealed in the Goſpel, the more the luſts remaining in the heart of a believer come to be quenched: this is an evident Argument of the great difference between the mercy of God revealed in the Goſpel, and received by faith; and that which is received only in a natural way: you that are unbelievers, and receives the Goſpel only in a natural way, your luſts may be nouriſhed, and you may take liberty for wickedneſs: But if once you come to receive the mercy of God in and through Chriſt Jeſus, then that mercy will be the greateſt oppoſer of thy luſts and ſin, as any thing can be in the world; certainly, thou know'ſt not the work of God in Chriſt forgiving ſin, that reaſon'ſt thus; I ſhall ſhew you plainly, The knowledge of the great work of the Propitiation by Chriſt, brings the ſoul into a hatred of all ſin, and is no nouriſher of it, 1 Joh. 1.9. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the wonderful grace of God in Chriſt to us; If we confeſs our ſins, he is not only ready to forgive, but to cleanſe us from them: And chap. 2.1. My little children I write unto you that you ſin not, that you take not liberty in any ſin; they might ſay, you write theſe things that we ſin not: but we have ſinful natures, and ſo ſhall certainly fall into ſin for all this: Well, for the comfort of Saints, If any man ſin, ſays he, we have an Advocate with the Father; Jeſus Chriſt is preſently an Advocate though you ſin through ignorance and negligence, and do not renew preſent acts of faith to ſue out a pardon: yet ſays the Holy Ghoſt, Jeſus Chriſt is an Advocate with the Father; the Lord Chriſt ſtands before the Father pleading, that no evil may befal you for your ſin; this is the admirable priviledge of the Saints of God, a moſt bleſſed priviledge they have by the Covenant of Grace; that when they commit a ſin, and may be take no notice, and may be Conſcience is ſo benum'd at preſent, that they go not to God to ſeek a pardon; but may be lie in ſin a long time together; yet ſays the Text, you have one that pleads your cauſe: and it is from hence, that Gods wrath comes not out againſt you; becauſe you have an Advocate with the Father: Well ſays the 2d verſ. And he is the Propitiation not only for our ſins, but the ſins of the whole world; he means believers: Now in the third verſ. ſays he, Hereby we know that we know him, If we keep his Commandements; as if he had ſaid, If we do not take heed of ſin and keep his Commandements; we know not this grace of pardon, if any that here us Miniſters teach this Doctrine, and ſay they know him, and have no care to keep Gods Commandements, 'tis quite contrary to what the Apoſtle ſays, he ſays, Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandements; this knowing of him, as it is a means to keep his Commandements; ſo 'tis an argument we do know him when we do keep his Commandements: verſ. 4. He that ſays I know him, that is; Chriſt to be a Propitiation and an Advocate, and keeps not his Commandements is a liar, and the truth is not in him: That man that reaſons thus, and ſays, Well, I believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and I know my ſins are pardoned through faith in him; yea, and all the ſins that ſhall be committed, a pardon is laid in for them, and I ſhall never enter into condemnation: Doſt thou ſay ſo, and yet keep'ſt not Gods Commandements? Haſt not thou the Conſcience, and the rather upon the knowledge of this, to keep Gods Commandements? the Holy Ghoſt ſays, Thou art a lyar, and there is no truth in thee; and thou wer't never acquainted with this myſtery of godlineſs; when it is underſtood in a natural way, men may abuſe it; you may know what I mean by a natural way, and God knows you have need of Information; by a natural way I mean by the light of Natural Reaſon, and all other helps of learning on this ſide the work of the Holy Ghoſt: but when men underſtand it by a powerful work of the Holy Ghoſt, they that know it thus, this knowledge will make them more careful and conſcionable to keep Gods Commandements; and if any man ſay he knows it thus, and does not keep Gods Commandements, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Further, If a man ſhould reaſon thus; Well, if there be ſuch a myſtery in pardon of ſin, and that God when he pardons ſin at firſt, lays in a pardon for all ſin afterward, this will make way for more ſin: Take notice here, of the infinite perverſeneſs of the heart of man; ſuppoſe it were not thus, but the contrary were true, that God indeed pardoned the ſins of a believer coming to him; but if ever he ſin after pardon, let him look to it, he ſhall then be under the ſentence of death and condemnation; upon this a mans heart would not be more ingaged to ſeek after Chriſt, but would reaſon thus; Well, I may labour and take pains, and ſuffer much to get a comfortable aſſurance of the pardon of ſin; but what of all this, the next day, the next hour I may ſin again, and be in the ſame caſe I was before, ſo that which way ſoever things go, men will reaſon againſt God for their luſts; I ſhall put it to you, or to any heart that may be ſuppoſed to have attended on God, yea, and hath received grace; Which of theſe Doctrines ingage the heart moſt for God? either this Doctrine, or the other; whether that you believing that God will pardon ſin; yet if you fall into any new ſin, you are under a ſentence of condemnation; or thus, that God is ſo gracious, that he not only pardons ſin for preſent, but for your incouragement he ſo pardons it, that though you through infirmity fall again into ſin, he will not out off his kindneſs from you; Which of theſe is the greater incouragement? certainly to a ſlaviſh ſpirit the one may be more than the other: But to a ſpirit that may be ſuppoſed to have any ingenuity in it, the latter words muſt needs far more ingage him to walk with God all his days. What, is Gods grace ſo free? that he ſhould have ſuch pity on poor creatures, not only at their firſt coming in, and caſting themſelves on Chriſt, as to pardon all their ſins, though they be never ſo many and great? But alſo ſuch a Covenant upon my coming in, that God will diſcharge all ſins that ſhall be committed for time to come, though I be ready to fall into ſin dayly, yet I ſhall not come into condemnation? O what will ſo infinitely ingage a gracious and ingenious ſpirit as this does! ſurely nothing like this. Now if this be true, that man that is forgiven, is thus forgiven; not only for time paſt, but alſo for time to come: Then bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgreſſions are forgiven, and whoſe iniquities are pardoned.
Of the tenth Myſtery, God pardons a ſinner, not becauſe he is; but that he might be chang'd.
10. The tenth Myſtery is this, (for I would endeavour to ſhew you what a mighty work Pardon of Sin is, and raiſe up your hearts to have higher thoughts of it than ever you had before) God does not pardon becauſe a ſinner hath his heart and nature changed, but that he might be changed. And thus the pardons of God differ from all other pardons; a Prince pardons a Malefactor, or a Father a Child: but upon what terms? a Prince expects his Subject ſhould be changed as far as he can diſcern; and a Father, (though never ſo tender) will not pardon a Child, unleſs he come in and manifeſt a change of his diſobedient ſpirit, and then he pardons. God doth not pardon becauſe we are chang'd; but that we might be chang'd: his Pardon comes firſt, Rom. 4.5. a very ſtrange place for this, and may incourage any poor ſoul that is troubled for ſin, to come in and lay hold upon Gods mercy in Chriſt; But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted unto him for righteouſneſs. Mark, when God comes to juſtifie a ſinner, he looks upon him as ungodly; he ſtays not till the ſinner be made godly and then juſtifies him, as a Prince ſtays till a Malefactors heart be changed, and he become a loyal ſubject, and then pardons him: God is not ſo in juſtifying ſouls, he juſtifies the ungodly; one that is ungodly coming to him, he juſtifies. This is a mighty Argument, I name it for this end; becauſe I would teach people, that notwithſtanding any ſin or guilt that lies upon their ſpirits, yet they have a liberty to come in and lay hold upon Chriſt for Juſtification; do not ſay, I am ungodly, I am a great ſinner, and have a vile heart, and I find not my nature changed; and therefore, How dare I lay hold upon Gods grace for mercy and pardon? yea, thou may'ſt becauſe God juſtifies the ungodly; though thy nature be not chang'd and ſanctified, as thou ſay'ſt: take it thus, Thou muſt lay hold of Gods grace for Juſtification that thou may'ſt be ſanctified; not only pardoned, but ſanctified: Come but thus with thy heart affected to cloſe with the grace of God, that thou may'ſt be ſanctified as well as pardoned; though for the preſent thou feeleſt not any Sanctification, yet thou may'ſt have right to lay hold upon Chriſt as well as any one whatſoever.
Object.Will not this be preſumption for a ſinner thus to lay hold on Chriſt?
Anſw.If faith were meerly a perſwaſion that Chriſt dyed for them, or as many men think; thus, (Well, God is merciful, and he will pardon me, Chriſt having dyed;) there may be preſumption in laying hold on Chriſt: But now as Juſtification is a great myſtery, ſo is faith; and faith is a mighty work of the Spirit of God in the ſoul, that cauſes the ſoul to roul and caſt it ſelf on the free grace of God in Chriſt, and venture it ſelf and all its hopes for good and happineſs on him; there is not only a coming to Chriſt for pardon, but for grace, holineſs, light, good and happineſs here, and for whatever it doth expect hereafter; it looks for all from him. Now when there is ſuch a work of God upon the ſoul, in caſting it ſelf on God in Chriſt, though there be nothing at preſent but ungodlineſs in him appearing, yet ſuch a one may and hath right to come unto God for pardon; for God juſtifies the ungodly, Rom. 5.6. Chriſt died for the ungodly; and verſ. 10. If when we were Enemies, we were reconciled by the death of his Son; when we were Enemies, and had baſe hearts full of enmity againſt God, yet then Chriſt died to reconcile us unto God: thou may'ſt then venture to come to him for pardon, and it is no preſumption, though thou ſeeſt no change in thy ſelf, yet he pardons that thou may'ſt be chang'd; now here's a glorious work of God in pardoning a ſinner, that God ſhould pardon, juſtifie, and reconcile us when we were Enemies to him; here is a glorious work of God for a ſinner to be juſtified and reconciled, and yet when the ſinner was an Enemy unto him.
Of the eleventh Myſtery, God himſelf purchaſes the Pardon.
11. When God pardons a ſinner, he himſelf is fain to purchaſe the pardon, and this is different from the manner of pardons among men: A Prince pardons a malefactor, but the Prince himſelf doth not purchaſe the pardon; and if one have offended you, you pardon the offender: but you that are offended do not purchaſe a pardon for the offender; poſſible ſome friend may come and purchaſe a pardon at the Kings hands for an offender, but the King himſelf doth not purchaſe it: yet thus it is with God: God doth not pardon any one ſin, but it coſts God himſelf dear before he gets it; therefore 'tis not ſuch a ſlight thing to be pardoned; you muſt not think to go to God and cry mercy, and that he will pardon …, thus in a natural way God never pardons ſin: but it coſts God dear, yea that which is more worth than all the world; if that could have done it, God would rather have diſſolved Heaven and Earth, than have given that that he did give; What was that? It was the bloud of his own Son: God gave him up to death for the ſin of mankind, and for the purchaſing a pardon for man: But ſome may ſay, What need God have purchaſt a pardon for man? Could he not have forgiven him by his abſolute Prerogative? I anſwer, there was need, becauſe of the ſatisfaction of Juſtice, he did purchaſe it out of the hands of Juſtice; God was fain to lay down a price to Juſtice, before he himſelf could pardon one ſin: Juſtice muſt be ſatisfied before he could give out one pardon: Well, take all theſe together, Chriſt muſt be our Surety, take the debt upon himſelf, and ſuffer as much puniſhment as we ſhould have done in Hell to all eternity; and to make the ſoul ſtand righteous before God, yet this righteouſneſs to be in another; yea, a near union is made between Chriſt and the Soul: And yet further, 'tis by faith, and yet boaſting is excluded; and God is infinitely merciful, and yet infinitely juſt; and when he pardons one ſin, he lays in a pardon for al ſin for time to come, juſtifies the ungodly, pardons ſin, yet purchaſes the pardon: Theſe eleven Meditations about the Pardon of Sin make it appear to be a wonderful work of God; put theſe together, and then the reſult according to the point will be clear and full, that, Bleſſed is that man whoſe ſins are forgiven: And ſurely if there be ſuch a myſterious and glorious work of God in pardoning ſin; that man for whom God ſhall work ſuch a glorious work is a bleſſed man indeed. And now having done with this Argument of the great myſtery of Godlineſs in forgiveneſs of Sin; I proceed to another, and it is this: