The Holy Arbor, Chapter 4 · Section 11
§. 11. The forgiveneſs of Sins.
BY which Article is underſtood, That all our ſins, wants and imperfections, Original and Actual, as well in the committing of evil, as in the omitting of good, in thought, word and deed, are covered, healed and releaſed, through the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed unto us: which being apprehended by faith, and applyed unto us, doth not onelyonly make them as if they had never been, but alſo juſtifieth and diſchargeth us, cauſing us to appear blameleſs and ſpotleſs in the ſight of God. This forgiveneſs of Sins comprehendeth under it, as it were in a ſhort ſum, all the Mercies of God, Iſa. 40.1. Pſal. 32.1, 2.7. it being the Will of God, which to the Faithful and Elect imputeth not any ſin, and therefore doth in like ſort love them, as if they had never ſinned, and delivereth them from all puniſhment of ſin, and giveth them Eternal life freely, for the Interceſſion and Merit of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, our Savior and Mediator: So that Remiſſion of ſins is from God onelyonly; the Miniſters indeed and the Church, are ſaid to remit ſins, but onelyonly as they are ſignifiers and declarers of Gods Remiſſion, when according to the Commandment of God, the Church denounceth to the Repentant: And one Neighbor remits Treſpaſſes unto another, as concerning the perſonal pardoning of the offence; but God onelyonly freeth us from the guilt of ſin, by his own Authority, and that freely in reſpect of us, though it coſt Chriſt full dear. Now the onelyonly ground upon which we are perſwaded of the forgiveneſs of our ſins, ſhould be, That we have Chriſt; For he that hath the Son hath life.
This is the greateſt of all the Promiſes, in laying hold whereof, the underſtanding muſt be rightly informed what ground a man hath to do it, not in a confuſed maner without a clear knowledge of the progreſs of Faith; and then it is the work of God onelyonly, to draw the will to take the Promiſes, after that the underſtanding rightly apprehends them, for both theſe are required in a juſtifying Faith. From all which it appears, That it is not a Doctrine of Pride and Preſumption (as the Synagogue of Rome teacheth) to believe the Remiſſion of our own ſins; for generally to believe that God forgiveth ſin, or that ſome men have their ſins forgiven, is no Priviledge of the Church, but the common faith of the Devils, James 2.19. All the Articles contain the confeſſion of a ſpecial Faith, and a particular application to our ſelves. As I muſt believe God the Father to be my Creator, the Son my Redeemer, the Holy Ghoſt to be my Sanctifier; ſo I am bound to believe the Remiſſion of my own ſins, the Reſurrection of my own body, and that life everlaſting ſhall be given to me: This ſpecial Faith muſt be the Faith of us all, Gal. 2.20.
The forgiveneſs of our ſins is known by theſe two ſigns; viz.
1. By an humble and hearty Confeſſion of our ſins unto God, wherein we muſt acknowledge all our main ſins, both Original and Actual, our guiltineſs before God, and our juſt deſert of Damnation for the ſame.
2. By the rightly pacified Conſcience, which is done by Faith in the heart: And the Peace here meant, is ſuch a Peace as cometh after War, after conflicts for ſin, after knowledge of Gods diſpleaſure with thee, after the ſenſe hereof, and after all this, a knowledge of Reconciliation again. Now many in an evil eſtate live and dye peaceably; but deceive not thy ſelf, that is onelyonly becauſe they were never acquainted with the Doctrine of Juſtification and Sanctification, becauſe they never ſaw the danger: for to be ſure that I am free from a danger, and not to know a danger, is all one, and doth breed a like confidence and ſecurity. Thus as it is a great mercy to have a true and ſound Peace: ſo to have a Peace not well grounded and bottom'd, is the moſt dangerous Judgement in the world. That thou mayeſt therefore the better judge whether thou haſt this Sign of the forgiveneſs of thy ſin, know, That this Peace is threefold:
1. With God, properly called Reconciliation; God in Chriſt at one with Man, Man through Chriſt at one with God.
2. With our ſelves, when the conſcience ſanctified ceaſeth to accuſe, and the affections ſubject themſelves to the enlightened minde.
3. With our Chriſtian Brethren.
Arguments to perſwade us of the forgivenes of our ſins, if we come unto Chriſt:
1. By the Scripture-expreſſions ſo frequently ratifying this Truth.
2. By Chriſts Practice when he was on earth.
3. Otherwiſe Chriſts Blood ſhould be ſhed in vain.
4. By the Example of others pardoned.
5. Elſe no fleſh ſhould be ſaved.
6. God ſhould not elſe be worſhipped and ſerved.
7. By the infiniteneſs of Gods Mercy.
The univerſality of Gods Promiſes touching the forgiveneſs of ſins, is threefold:
1. Without exception of Time; for, At what time ſoever a ſinner ſhall repent him of his ſins, I will put away his iniquity, ſaith the Lord.
2. Without exception of ſins; for, Albeit your ſins were as ſcarlet, they ſhall be made as white as ſnow, Iſa. 1.
3. Without exception of perſon; for, Whoſoever ſhall depart from his wicked ways, and turn unto God, he will receive him.
The Duties to be performed of us, in believing the forgiveneſs of ſins to the faithful; viz.
1. To pray unto God earneſtly every day, above all things of this world, for the pardon of our ſins, becauſe this is ſo great and wonderful a grace.
2. To love the Lord and our Savior Jeſus Chriſt with all our hearts, and with all our might, becauſe God is the Author of this great grace, Chriſt Jeſus hath merited the ſame for us.
3. To break off all our ſins by Righteouſneſs, and not continue any longer therein, becauſe we have been enough endangered through ſin, and are ſtill in the ſame danger, if we continue in it.
4. Not to have in any account the Popes Indulgence for ſins, but to abhor his Blaſphemous Pardon for them, ſeeing this is in Gods power onelyonly.
Four Grounds of poſſibility of Pardon, be the ſin never ſo great:
1. That the Mercy of God is infinite, yea above all his Works.
2. Men of years living in the Church of God, and knowing the Doctrine of Salvation, ſhall not be condemned ſimply for their ſins, but for continuing and lying in them.
3. It pleaſeth God many times to leave men to themſelves, and to ſuffer them to commit ſome ſin that woundeth Conſcience; but yet we may not hence think that he is the Author thereof, but our own depraved Nature.
4. The Promiſes of God touching Remiſſion of ſins and life eternal, in reſpect of Believers, are general; and in regard of all and every man, indefinite.
This Doctrine of forgiveneſs of ſins doth teach us,
1. To acknowledge our ſelves before God to be grievous ſinners, to have godly ſorrow for them, and to ſeek pardon by daily Prayer for the forgiveneſs of them.
2. To have a circumſpect care and fear not to offend God at any time, yea a moſt earneſt deſire to pleaſe him better then we have done, Pſal. 103.3, 4. Joh. 5.14.
3. To return all praiſe and thankfulneſs to God for this ſo infinite Mercy, which appeareth in nothing more then in the forgiveneſs of our ſins.
4. To ſhew back again our love toward our heavenly Father, according to the meaſure of his love towards us; the greater ſins he hath pardoned, the greater love ſhould be returned.
5. That the receiving of this Mercy from God, muſt work in us mercy towards our brethren, Luke 6.36. Eph. 4.32. Col. 3.13.
The ſum of this Article may be this, Remiſſion of ſin is Gods Will, not imputing to the Elect, to all of them, and to them onelyonly, their ſins, but Chriſts Righteouſneſs: which Remiſſion of ſins is the work of all three Perſons of the Deity, granted for Chriſts Interceſſion and Merit, but freely in reſpect of us, and is received by Faith, through the working of the Holy Ghoſt, upon our Converſion and Repentance.
You that are skill'd in Phyſiognomy,
Have ye obſerv'd in men Condemn'd to dye,
How to the life they do reſemble Death,
Or's if they liv'd by Artificial breath?
But, travelling to their Execution, ſay,
A Pardon overtakes them in the way,
How then the Scene is alter'd, they ſurvive
Themſelves, and ſeem to be now twice alive.
Draw the Curtain; Reade, The Gospel ſaith,
The Pardon's ſeal'd, and it is ours by Faith.