Sermons Volume 2, Title page 6 – Sermon 5

Sermons Volume 2 · Title page 6 – Sermon 5

OF PARDON AND Forgiveneſs of Sin, IN FOUR SERMONS ON ISAIAH xliii. 25.

By EZEKIEL HOPKINS, Late Lord Biſhop of London-Derry.

LONDON, Printed by Tho. Warren, for Nathanael Ranew, at the King's Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1693.

p. 1OF PARDON AND Forgiveneſs of SIN, &c.

ISAIAH xliii. 25.

…, even I am he that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions for my own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins.

IN the foregoing Verſes, Introduction.we have a heavy Charge drawn up againſt the People of the Jews; in which they ſtand charged both with ſins of Omiſſion and of Commiſſion: By the one, they ſhewed themſelves weary of God; and by the other, God became weary of them. Thou haſt not called upon me, …or brought me thy burnt-offerings, nor honoured me with thy Sacrifices, but thou haſt been weary of me, O Iſrael, as it is in 22, p. 223. Verſes. Thou thought'ſt my Commands grievous, and my Service bu… thenſome; and though, as thou a… my Sworn Servant, I might comp… thee to work; yet I have born wi… thy ſloth, and ſuffered my Work to … undone. I have not cauſed thee to ſer… with Offerings, nor wearied thee with … cenſe, as it is in the 24th Verſe. Na… as if ſo be rejecting my Service, h… not been Indignity enough, thou ha… even brought me into a kind of Serv… tude, even me thy Lord and Maſte… thou haſt wearied my Patience, th… haſt loaded my Omnipotency; thou h… made me ſerve with thy ſins, thou h… wearied me with thine Iniquities, Ver. 2… And what could we now in reaſon expect ſhould be the cloſe of ſo heavy a… Accuſation, but only as heavy a Doo… and Sentence. Thou haſt brought m… no Sacrifices, therefore I will mak… thee a Sacrifice to my Wrath; tho… haſt not called upon me, and when tho… doeſt call, I will not anſwer; thou ha… wearied me with thy Sins, and I wil… weary thee with my Plagues. Bu… there's no ſuch expected ſeverity follows hereupon; but I, even I am he tha… p. 3…lotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions for my own …ike, and will not remember thy ſins. The …ike Parallel place we have concerning Ephraim, Iſa. 51.17, 18. He went on frowardly in the way of his own Heart. Well, (ſays God) I have ſeen his ways, and what with the froward, ſhall I ſhew my ſelf froward? No; but, I have ſeen his ways, and I will heal him. Here's the Prerogative of free Grace; to infer Pardon there where the guilty themſelves, can infer only their own Execution and Puniſhment. It is the guiſe of Mercy, to make ſtrange and abrupt Inferences from ſin to Pardon.

The words are a Gracious Proclamation of Forgiveneſs, or an Act of Pardon paſſed on the Sins of Men; and contain in them three things.

Firſt, Here is the Perſon that gives out this Pardon, and that is God; accented here by a vehement Ingemination, I, even I am he.

Secondly, Here is the Pardon it ſelf; which for the greater Confirmation of our Faith and Hope, is redoubled: I, even I am he that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions, p. 4and will not remember th… ſins.

Thirdly, Here are the Motives, or impulſive cauſe that prevailed with God, thi… to proclaim pardon unto guilty Malefactor… and that is for his own ſake. I am h… that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions for m… own ſake.

1. As for the firſt particular, I, even … am he; we may obſerve, That God ſeems more to triumph in the Glory o… his pardoning Grace and Mercy, tha… he doth in any other of his Attributes I, even I am he: Such a ſtately Preface muſt needs uſher in ſomewhat wherein God and his Honour is much advanced. Is it therefore, I am he that ſpread forth the Heavens, and martial'd all their Hoſt, that hang up the Earth in the midſt of the Air, that breath'd forth all the Creatures upon the face of it, that poured out the great Deeps, and meaſur'd them all in the hollow of my hand, that ride upon the wings of the Wind, and make the Clouds the Duſt of my Feet. This though it might awe and amuſe the hearts of Men, yet God counts it not his chiefeſt Glory; p. 5but, I, even I am he, that blotteth out Tranſgreſſion, and forgive Iniquities. So we find, when God condeſcended to ſhew Moſes his Glory, he proclaims, not the Lord Great and Terrible, that formed all things by the Word of his Mouth, and can deſtroy all things by the Breath of his Noſtrils: No, but he paſſeth before him with a ſtill voice, and proclaims himſelf to be, The Lord, the Lord God Gracious and Merciful, long-ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin. So that when God would be ſeen in his chiefeſt State and Glory, he reveals himſelf to be a ſin-pardoning God; I, even I am he that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions, and will not remember thy ſins.

2. As for the pardon it ſelf,Blotting out of ſin, implys two things. that is expreſſed in two things, I am he that blotteth out, and will not remember. Blotting out implys,

Firſt,That ſin is written. That our Tranſgreſſions are written down, and written they are in a two-fold Book; the one is in the Book of God's Remembrance, which he blots p. 6out when he juſtifies a ſinner: The other is the Book of our own Conſciences which he blots out when he gives us peace and aſſurance; and oftentimes theſe follow one upon the other: When God blots his Remembrance-Book in Heaven, that blot diffuſeth and ſpreads it ſelf even to the Book of Conſcience, and blots out all that is written there alſo. Man blots his Conſcience by committing ſin, but God blots it by pardoning it: He lays a blot of Chriſt's Bloud upon a blot of our guilt, and this is ſuch a blot as leaves the Conſcience of a ſinner purer and cleaner than it found it.

Secondly, Blotting out of Tranſgreſſion implies a legal diſcharge of the Debt. A Book that is once blotted and croſſed, ſtands void in Law; whatever the Sum and Debts were before, yet the croſſing of the Book ſignifies the payment of the Debt. So is it here, I will blot out thy Tranſgreſſions; that is, I will acquit thee of all thy Debts, I will never charge them upon thee, I will daſh them all out, I will not leave ſo much as one Item, not one ſin legible againſt thee. This is the proper meaning of this Expreſſion p. 7and Notion of blotting out of Tranſgreſſion and Sin. And this is one thing that pardon of ſin is expreſſed by.

It follows in the next words, and I will not remember thy ſins. Not that there is truly any forgetfulneſs in God; no, his Memory retains every ſin we have committed ſurer and firmer than if all our ſins were written in Leaves of Braſs; but God ſpeaks here as he doth elſewhere frequently in Scripture, by a gracious Condeſcenſion, and after the manner of Men, and it is to be interpreted only by the Effects, I will not remember their ſins; that is, I will deal ſo mercifully with them, as if indeed I did not remember the leaſt of their Provocations, I will be to them as one that hath utterly forgotten all their injuries. So, that this, not remembring of ſin, denies not the eminent Act of God's Knowledge, but only the tranſient Act of his Juſtice, and is no more than his promiſing not to puniſh ſin; as if God had ſaid, I will not be avenged on them, nor puniſh them for their ſins.

And here we may ſee what abundant ſecurity God gives his People, that p. 8they ſhall never be impleaded for thoſe ſins which once they have attained the pardon of; they are blotted out of his Book of Remembrance: and that they may not fear he will accuſe them without Book, he tells them, That they are utterly forgotten, and ſhall never be remembred by him againſt them any more.

Thirdly, Conſider the impulſive cauſe, that moves God's Hand, as it were, to blot out our Tranſgreſſions; and that is not any thing without himſelf, but (ſays God) I will do it for my own ſake. This admits of a two-fold ſence, efficient and final.

Firſt, For my own ſake: That is, becauſe it is my pleaſure: I will do it, becauſe I will do it. And indeed this is the Royal Prerogative of God alone, to render his Will for his Reaſon; for becauſe his Will is altogether Soveraign, and Independent, that muſt needs be moſt reaſonable that he wills. If any ſhould queſtion, Why the Lord paſt by fallen Angels, and ſtoopt ſo low as to take up Fallen Man? And why among p. 9Men, he hath rejected many Wiſe and Noble, and hath choſen thoſe that are mean and contemptible? Why he hath gathered up, and lodged in his own Boſom, thoſe that wallowed in the filth and defilement of the worſt ſins, when others are left to periſh under far leſs guilt? The moſt reaſonable Anſwer that can be given of all, is this, I have done it for my own ſake, I have done it becauſe it is my Will and Pleaſure to do it; even the ſame Reaſon that God gave unto Moſes: I will be gracious, becauſe I will be gracious, and I will ſhew mercy, becauſe I will ſhew mercy, Exod. 33.19. Which was the ſame Anſwer our Saviour gave to himſelf, Luke 10.21. Even ſo Father, becauſe ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight.

Secondly, For my own ſake, we may take it in a final ſenſe, that is, I will do it, becauſe of that great Honour and Glory that will accrue to my great Name by it. The ultimate, and chief end of God in all his Actions, is his own Glory. God beſtows Pardon and Salvation upon us chiefly for the manifeſtation of his own Glory, even the p. 10Glory of his Mercy and free Grace. Our Salvation is therefore accompliſhed, that it might be a means to declare to the World how Merciful and Gracious God is; not ſo much for our good, as for his Glory; not for our ſakes, but for his own ſake. Such a Parallel place we have in Ezek. 36.12. I do not this for your ſake, ſaith the Lord, but for my Holy Name ſake, that you have profaned among the Heathen: I will ſhew mercy unto you, not ſo much that you may be delivered, as that my Holy Name that you have profaned, may be redeemed from that diſhonour that you have caſt upon it, and may be Glorified among the Heathen.

And thus we have the full Interpretation of the words, and from them I ſhall raiſe and proſecute this Obſervation.

Doctrine. That the Grace of God, whereby he blots out and forgives ſin, is abſolutely free, and infinitely Glorious.

I, even I am he that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions for my own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins.

p. 11Now though this Doctrine of free Grace hath deſerved well of all, as being the beſt tenure of our preſent Enjoyment, and the beſt prop for our future hopes; yet hath it in all Ages found bitter Enemies, and of old, like the procurer of it, been Crucified between two Thieves, the Gnoſticks and the Pelagian Hereticks: the Pelagians deprive it of its freedom, and enſlave it to the will of Man, affirming, That God therefore pardons and ſaves ſome, becauſe they will by the power of their own Nature work Faith in themſelves; whereas the truth is, therefore God works Faith in them, becauſe he will pardon and ſave them. Thus they make free Grace a Hand-maid to wait upon the motions of free Will. Now this is greatly derogatory to free Grace, for Men to bottom their Faith and Pardon upon the Arbitrarineſs of free Will, and not upon the Almighty Soveraign Grace of God, that firſt moves the Will to believe, and then pardons it upon believing.

Now as theſe depreſs the free Grace of God, ſo there are others that aſcribe too much unto it, of old Iſlebius, in Luther's p. 10duplicate page p. 11duplicate page p. 12time, who was the firſt Ring-leader: Of latter days, the Antinomians, and theſe think the Grace of God is ſo free as to ſuperſede all neceſſity of working for it, or with it, and that it is enough for us to ſit ſtill and admire it, and ſo to be hurried away to Heaven in a Dream. Nay, ſome even in our days have upon this Principle arrived to that height of Blaſphemy, as to affirm, That we never ſo much glorifie free Grace, as when we make work for it by ſtout ſinning. Now therefore that we may avoid both theſe extreams, it will be very neceſſary to ſtate aright, How the Grace of God is free, and how it is not free.

Now there are many ſorts of Freedoms, a freedom from natural neceſſity, a freedom from violent co-action, and from engaging promiſes, and the like; but theſe are not pertinent to our preſent buſineſs. When Grace therefore is ſaid to be free, it muſt be taken in a two-fold ſenſe.

Firſt, Free from any procurement.

Secondly, Free from any limiting Conditions. And accordingly I ſhall propound p. 13the Reſolution of two Queſtions.

Firſt, Whether the Grace of God be ſo free, as to exclude all Merit and Deſert? And then,

Secondly, Whether it be ſo free as to require no Conditions?

Firſt, Whether the Grace of God be ſo free, as to exclude all Merit and Deſert?

Now in Anſwer unto this Queſtion, I ſhall lay down three Propoſitions.

Firſt,God's Grace is not ſo free as to exclude the Merits of Chriſt. That the pardoning Grace of God is not ſo freely vouchſaf'd to Man, as to exclude all Merit and Deſert on Chriſt's part. There is not the leaſt ſin pardon'd unto any, but it firſt coſt the price of bloud, even the precious bloud of the Son of God. It is this bloud that croſſeth God's Debt-Book, and blots out all thoſe Items that we ſtand indebted to him for. As Chriſt now ſues out our Pardon by his Interceſſion in Heaven; ſo he bought out our Pardon by his Sufferings on the Croſs; for, without ſhedding of bloud, there is no Remiſſion, p. 14Hebr. 9.22. And this is my bloud, ſays our Saviour himſelf, which is ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins, Matth. 26.28. And we are not our own, but we are bought with a price, even with the precious bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh, and without ſpot, as the two great Apoſtles ſpeak, 1 Cor. 6.14. 1 Pet. 1.21. Some have made bold, and poſſibly with no bad intention, to call Jeſus Chriſt the greateſt ſinner in the World; becauſe the ſins of all God's People meet in him, and were imputed to him. They were his by a voluntary ſuſception and undertaking: and if the foregoing expreſſion may be allowed, there is one in Heaven, the higheſt in Glory, whoſe ſins were never pardoned; for our Lord Chriſt paid down the utmoſt Farthing that either the Law, or Juſtice of God could exact, as a ſatisfaction for thoſe ſins that he voluntarily took upon himſelf: And therefore by Law and Juſtice, and not by free Grace, he hath taken poſſeſſion of Heaven for himſelf, and is there preparing Manſions for us. In reſpect of Chriſt we receive nothing of free Grace, or of free Gift, but all is by purchace. And as we our ſelves p. 15are bought with a price; ſo is every thing we enjoy, even common and vulgar Mercies come flowing in upon us in ſtreams of bloud. Our Lives, and all the Comforts of them, much more our future Life, and all the means tending to it, are paid for by the Bloud of Chriſt. So that the Grace of God is not ſo free, as to exclude all merit on Chriſt's part, who hath purchaſed all we enjoy, or hope for, by paying a full and equitable price to the Juſtice of God.

Secondly,God's Grace in giving of Chriſt to us, is free. The infinite Grace of God in giving Chriſt to us, and his Bloud for us, through which we have pardon merited, is abſolutely free, and falls not under any merit, either of ours, or of his.

Firſt, It falls not under any Merit of ours; for certainly, could we have merited Chriſt out of Heaven, we might as well have merited Heaven without Chriſt. When God in his infinite Wiſdom foreſaw how we would reject and deſpiſe his Son; firſt ſpill his Bloud, and then trample upon it, he did not account this Demeanour of ours to be meritorious of ſo great a gift.

p. 16Secondly, Which is yet more to the Glory of God's free Grace, He beſtowed Christ upon us, not only without any merit of ours, but without any merit of his alſo. It is free Grace that Pardons, that Sanctifies, that ſaves us; yet all this Chriſt purchaſed for us by a full price. God will have a price paid down for all other things of a leſs value, that ſo he might hereby ſet forth his own Bounty in parting with his own Son for us without price.

Pardoning Grace free in reſpect of us.Thirdly, Pardon and Grace obtained through the Bloud of Chriſt, in reſpect of any Merit of ours, is altogether free and undeſerved. We cannot of our ſelves ſcarce ſo much as ask forgiveneſs, much leſs therefore can we do any thing that may deſerve it. All that we can do, is either ſinful, or holy; if what we do be ſinful, it only encreaſeth our Debts: If it be holy, it muſt proceed from God's free Grace, that enables us to do it; and certainly it is free Grace to pardon us upon the doing of that, which free Grace only enables us to do. Far be it from us to affirm, as the Papiſts p. 17do, that good Works are meritorious of pardon, what are our Prayers, our Sighs, our Tears? yea, what are our Lives and our Bloud it ſelf, ſhould we ſhed it for Chriſt? All this cannot make one blot in God's Remembrance-Book: Yea, it were fitter and more becoming the infinite Bounty of God to give Pardon and Heaven freely, than to ſet them to ſale for ſuch inconſiderable things as theſe are.

Heaven needed not to have been ſo needleſly prodigal and laviſhing, as to have ſent the Lord Jeſus Chriſt into the World to lead a miſerable Life, and die a curſed Death, had it been poſſible for Man to have bought off his own guilt, and to have quitted Scores with God by a lower price than what Chriſt himſelf could do, or ſuffer. And ſo much for the Reſolution of the firſt Queſtion: God's pardoning Grace though it be purchaſed in reſpect of Chriſt, yet is it abſolutely free in reſpect of any merit of ours.

The Second Queſtion is, Whether the Grace of God be ſo free as to require no Conditions on our part. Of gifts, ſome p. 18are beſtowed abſolutely without any terms of Agreement. And ſome are Conditional upon the performance of ſuch Stipulations and Conditions, without which they ſhall not be beſtowed; of which ſort is this Grace of God.

Sanctifying Grace is given abſolutely.I Anſwer, Firſt, The Sanctifying and Regenerating Grace of God, whereby the great Change is wrought upon our Hearts, in our first Converſion and turning unto God, is given abſolutely, and depends not upon the performance of any Conditions. Indeed we are commanded to make uſe of means for the getting true and ſaving Grace wrought in us; but theſe means are not Conditions for the obtaining of that Grace: For the Nature of Conditions are ſuch, that the benefits which depend upon them are never beſtowed, but where the Conditions are firſt performed. And therefore we call Faith and Repentance Conditions of Eternal Life, becauſe eternal Life is never confer'd upon any who did not firſt believe and repent. But now certain it is, God hath converted ſome without the uſe of ordinary means, as St. Paul, and the Thief on the Croſs. p. 19Therefore though we are commanded to uſe the means; yet the uſe of Means and Ordinances, cannot be called Conditions of our Regeneration. And indeed, if any thing could be ſuppoſed a Condition of obtaining Grace, it muſt either be a work of Nature, or a work of Grace. Now a work of Grace it cannot be till Grace be wrought; and to go about to make a work of Nature a Condition of Grace, it is to go about to revive that old Errour of the Pelagians, for which they ſtand Anathematized in Count Palleſtine many Years ſince. Sanctifying Grace is given freely, excepted from any Conditions, though not excepted from the uſe of means.

Secondly, Juſtifying and pardoning Grace, though it be free, yet is it limited to the performance of certain Conditions, without which God never beſtows it upon any, and they are two, Faith and Repentance. And theſe Graces God beſtows upon whom he pleaſeth, without any foregoing Conditions. Faith in Chriſt it is the freeſt gift that ever God beſtowed upon any, except that Chriſt on whom we believe. But pardon of ſin p. 20is reſtrained to Faith and Repentance as the Conditions of it; nor is it ever obtained without them. Theſe two things the Scripture doth abundantly confirm to us. Whoever believeth on him, ſhall obtain remiſſion of ſins, Acts 10.43. Repent, that your ſins may be blotted out, Acts 3.19. Whoever believes on him, there Faith is made the Condition of Pardon. Repent, that your ſins may be blotted out; there Repentance is made the Condition of Pardon. Theſe two particulars correſpond with the two-fold Covenant of Grace God made with Man: His abſolute Covenant, wherein he promiſeth the firſt Converting Grace; this Covenant now is independent from any Conditions, a Copy of which we have in Ezek. 36.26. A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and I will cauſe you to walk in my Statutes, and you ſhall keep my Judgments, and do them. And then there is God's Conditional Covenant of Grace, wherein he promiſeth Salvation only upon the foregoing Conditions of Faith and Repentance, this we have, Mark 16.16. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved.

p. 21Thus I have ſtated the great Queſtion concerning the free Grace of God. The firſt Sanctifying Grace of God is ſo free as to exclude all Conditions; but the Juſtifying and Pardoning Grace of God is limited to the Conditions of Faith and Repentance; and both Sanctifying and Juſtifying Grace are freely beſtowed without any Merit of ours, but not without reſpect to the Merit of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath purchaſed them at the higheſt rate, even with his own moſt precious Bloud.

In the next place I ſhall endeavour to ſet before you ſome particulars wherein the Glory of God's free Grace in pardoning ſin may be more illuſtrated, that it may appear God aſſumes to himſelf this as the greateſt honour, to be a ſin-pardoning God. And,

Firſt, This highly commends the freeneſs of pardoning Grace, in that God decreed to beſtow it without any Requeſt, or Entreaties of ours. There was no Rhetorick moved him beſides the Yearnings of his own Bowels. This was a Gracious Reſolution ſprung up ſpontaneouſly in the Heart of God from all eternity. p. 22He ſaw thee wallowing in thy Bloud, long before thou wert in thy Being: and this time it was a time of Love; even a time before all times: What Friend could'ſt thou then make in Heaven? What Interceſſour hadſt thou then, when there was nothing but God? When this deſign of Love was laid, there was neither Prayers nor Tongues to utter them: Yea, Chriſt himſelf, though now he intercedes for the Application of Pardon, did not then intercede for the Decree of Pardon; he could not then urge his Bloud and Merits as Motives for God to take up thoughts of forgiving us; for had not God done ſo before, Chriſt had never ſhed his Bloud, nor wrought out Salvation for us. What Arguments, What Advocates did then perſwade him? Truly the only Argument was our Miſery; and the only Advocate was his own Mercy, and not Jeſus Chriſt.

God pardons ſin, when he is able to deſtroy ſinners.Secondly, God pardons ſin, when yet he is infinitely able to deſtroy the ſinner; and this greatly advanceth the Riches and freeneſs of his Grace. The ſame breath that pronounceth a ſinner Abſolved, p. 23might have pronounced him Damned. The Angels that fell could not ſtand before the power and force of his Wrath, but like a mighty Torrent it ſwept them all into Perdition; How much leſs then could we ſtand before him? God could have blown away every ſinner in the World as ſo much looſe Duſt into Hell. It had been eaſie for his Power and Juſtice, if he had ſo pleaſed, to have triumph'd in the Deſtruction of all Mankind, but only that he intended a higher and more noble Victory, even that his Mercy ſhould triumph and prevail over his Juſtice, in the pardoning and ſaving of ſinners.

Thirdly,God pardons, tho he might gain Renown, as on the Damned. God pardons ſin though he might gain to himſelf a great Renown, as he hath on the Damned. God might have written thy Name in Hell, as he hath written theirs, and might have ſet thee up a flaming Monument, and inſcribed on thee Victory and Conqueſt to the Glory of his Everlaſting Vengeance. Both Books were open before him, both the Book of Life and of Death; and the Contents of both ſhall be rehearſed to his infinite Glory at the laſt Day: Now p. 24what was it dictated thy Name to him, that guided his Hand to write thee down rather in the Book of Life, than in the Book of Death; that ſet thee down a Saint, and not a Sinner; Pardon'd, and not Condemn'd? What moved him to do all this for thee? Why truly, the only Anſwer that God gives, and which is the only Anſwer that can be given, is the ſame which Pilate gives concerning our Saviour, What I have written, I have written.

Fourthly, Conſider the paucity and ſmallneſs of the number of thoſe that are pardon'd. Profeſſours of Chriſtianity are calculated by ſome to poſſeſs not above the ſixth part of the known World; and if among them we make a proportionable abatement for thoſe that are profeſſed Idolaters, for the groſly ignorant, for the prophane, and the Hypocritical: Certainly there will be but a ſmall Flock remaining unto Jeſus Chriſt; here and there one pick't and cull'd out of the Multitudes of the World, like the Olive berries, the Prophet Jeremiah ſpeaks of, left on the top of the uppermoſt Branches, when the Devil p. 25hath ſhaken down all the reſt into Hell. Now is it not infinite Mercy, that thou ſhould'ſt be found among theſe Gleanings after Harveſt, that thou ſhoul'dſt be one of theſe few? God might have left thee to periſh upon the ſame Reaſon that he left others, but he gathered thee out of all Nations, Kindreds, and Languages of the Earth, to make thee a Veſſel of Mercy for himſelf. Indeed thou canſt never enough admire the peculiar Love of God to thee herein, till the laſt Day; when thou ſhalt ſee the ſmall number of thoſe that are ſaved, ſtanding on the Right Hand of Chriſt, compared with the vaſt numbers of thoſe that periſh ſtanding at the Left Hand of Chriſt, and ſeeſt thy ſelf among the ſmall number of thoſe that are ſaved.

Fifthly, This alſo commends the freeneſs of pardoning Grace, that whereas the fallen Angels themſelves were abſolutely excepted out of God's Act of Indemnity and Oblivion; yet fallen Man is again reſtored unto his Favour. Them God hath reſerved in chains of darkneſs unto the Judgment of the great Day; us he hath p. 26brought into glorious Light and Liberty: Our ſins are blotted out of the Book of God's Remembrance; whereas their Names are blotted out of the Muſter-Roll of God's Heavenly Hoſt Now here there are four things that d… greatly advance the Glory of free Grace.

Firſt, Their Natures were more excellent than ours.

Secondly, Their Services would have been much more perfect than ours.

Thirdly, Their Sins were fewer tha… ours are. And,

Fourthly, Their Pardon might have been procured at as cheap a rate, and at a little Expence as ours. And yet not them but us God hath choſen to be Veſſels o… his Mercy.

Firſt, Their Natures were more excellent than ours. They were glorious Spirits, the top and cream of the Creation we Clods of Earth, the Lees and Dreg… of Nature, our Souls, the only part by p. 27which we claim Kin to Angels, even they are of a younger Houſe, and of a more Ignoble Extract; how are they debaſed by being confined to theſe Lumps of Fleſh, which, with much adoe, they make a ſhift to drag with them up and down the Earth, rather as Fetters of their Bondage, than Inſtruments of their Service: nay, ſo low ſunk are we in this ſlime of matter, that we have not Excellency enough ſo much as to conceive what a pure Heavenly Orient Subſtance a Spirit is. And yet ſuch as we are, Duſt and Filth, hath God gathered up into his own Boſome; though he hath disbanded whole Legions of Angels, and ſent them down into Hell.

In theſe Natures of ours hath the Son of God Revealed, or rather hid himſelf: Even he who thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, thought it no ſcorn to become lower than Angels. He took not on him the Nature of Angels, but the Seed of Abraham.

Secondly, Their Services would have been more perfect upon their reſtoration, than ours can be. Indeed when we arrive p. 28at Heaven, our Services, our Love▪ our Joy, and our Praiſes, ſhall then attain to a perfection excluſive of all ſinful defects: But even then muſt we give Place to the Angels, as in our Beings, ſo in our Actings alſo. Had God reſtored them, and given them a Pardon, Heaven would more have reſounded with the Shouts and Hallelujahs of one fallen Angel, than it can now with a whole Conſort of glorified Saints: They would have burnt much more ardently in Love, who now muſt burn much more fiercely in Torments. They would much more mightily and ſweetly have ſung forth the Praiſes of God their Redeemer; who now curſe and blaſpheme him more bitterly: And as far have out-ſtript a Saint in the work of Heaven, as they ſhall do a ſinner in the Puniſhment of Hell. And yet free Grace paſſeth by them, and elects and chuſeth narrower Hearts to conceive, and feebler Tongues to utter the Praiſes of their Redeemer; whoſe Praiſes ought therefore to be the more, becauſe he chuſeth not them that may give him the moſt.

p. 29Thirdly, Conſider this, their ſins were fewer then ours are. We cannot exactly determine what their ſins were, only the Apoſtle gives us a hint, that it was Pride gave them their fall, 1 Tim. 3.6. Not a Novice, leſt being lifted up with pride, he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. Whether it was Pride, in that they affected to be God, or in that they ſcorn'd to be Guardians and Miniſtring Spirits unto Man, or in that they refuſed to become ſubject unto the Son of God, who was ſhortly to become Man, the Schools boldly enough diſpute, but no Man can determine: but whatever it was, this is certain, God was ſpeedy in the execution of wrath upon them, tumbling them all down headlong into Hell upon their firſt Rebellion: The time of their ſtanding in their Primitive State, is conceived to be very ſhort; for their Creation, (though the Socinians hold, it was long before) muſt fall within the compaſs of ſix Days, for in that ſpace the Scripture tells us, God made Heaven and Earth, and all things therein: and therefore within the ſpace of ſix Days, he created the p. 30Angels alſo. Some refer their Creatio… to the firſt Days Work, others to th… fourth Day: and it's probably though… That Adam's continuance in Innocency was not much above one Day, and ye… even then there were fallen Angels t… tempt him: ſo that their glorious an… bleſſed State could not, according to th… Computation, laſt above ſix or ſeven Days, ſuch a ſpeedy iſſue did God make with them upon their very firſt ſin But now how is his Patience and Forbearance extended towards ſinful Man He drives Adam out of Paradiſe, but i… was free Grace he did not drive him into Hell, where he had but a little before plunged far more excellent Creature than Adam was; his Patience is prolonged to impenitent unbelieving Sinners, he bears with their proud Affronts waits their returns, and with a Miracle of Mercy reprieves them for a much longer date than he did the Angels themſelves. How much more then ough… free Grace to be extolled by us, which did not ſo much as Reprieve the Angel… for one ſin, and yet every moment grants out a free and abſolute Pardon to his Servants, not for one ſin, but for reiterated p. 31Provocations; they could not obtain reſpite, and we obtain pardon. How many Leaves in God's Remembrance-Book, ſtands written thick with multitudes of ſins, and yet no ſooner doth God write down, but he alſo wipes out: His Pen and his Spunge keep the ſame meaſure; our ſins find conſtant Employment for the one, and God's free Grace and Mercy finds conſtant Employment for the other.

Fourthly, add to this what ſome with great probability affirm, the ſame price that bought out our Pardon, might have procured theirs alſo. By which it plainly appears, that there is no other Reaſon, why our Eſtate differs from theirs, but only God's free Soveraign Grace. Upon the ſame Account, God might have Damned all Mankind that he Damned the Angels for; and at the ſame coſt he might have ſaved all the fallen Angels, at which he ſaved ſome of Mankind. The Merits of Chriſt are the price of our Pardon and Redemption, and theſe have in them an infinite worth, and an All-ſufficient Expiation, not for our ſins only, but for the ſins of the whole World both p. 32Men and Devils. The Streams of Chriſt's Bloud ſhed on the Croſs for us, was ſufficient to quench the flames of Hell, and utterly to have waſht away the Lake of Fire and Brimſtone. Hell might have been depopulated, and thoſe black Manſions left void without Inhabitants for ever; and the Devils and Men have been common ſharers in that ſame common Salvation: For Chriſt having an infinite Dignity in his Perſon, being God as well as Man; his Bloud the Bloud of God, his Sufferings the Sufferings and Humiliation of a God, inhanced his Merits to ſuch a redundancy, as neither fallen Angels, nor fallen Men, were their Sins more, and their Miſeries greater, were ever able to drain out: Not a drop more of Gall and Wormwood ſhould have been ſqueezed into the Cup of Chriſt's Sufferings, though it had proved a Cup of Health and Salvation to them, as well as to us: And yet ſuch was God's dreadful ſeverity that he excluded the Angels from the benefits of Chriſt's Death, though he had been at no more Expences to ſave them; the price of whoſe Pardon and Redemption would have p. 33been the ſame: And yet we, ſuch is the infinite Riches of his Grace and Mercy, are Redeemed by a price that infinitely exceeds the purchace. O the freeneſs and riches of God's Grace, that he ſhould thus paſs by the Angels, and pitch upon and chooſe ſuch vile wretched Creatures as we are.

Sixthly, conſider, Pardoning Grace is free, whether we conſider the generality of its deſignation, or the ſpeciality of its Application.

Firſt, It is free, Pardoning Grace is free in its Deſignation.in its general deſignation, in that God hath deſign'd and purpoſed to forgive the ſins of all the World, if they will believe and repent. It is the Univerſality of Grace, that mightily exalts its freeneſs; now what can be more univerſal, than that Proclamation of Pardon that God makes to poor ſinners, in Acts 10.43. Whoſoever believes in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins. The whole World is under this Conditional Promiſe, not one Soul of Man excepted: Be thy ſins more than the Sands, greater than Mountains, though the cry of them reacheth up to Heaven, and the guilt of them reacheth p. 34down to Hell; yet thou haſt n… Reaſon, O Sinner, to exclude thy ſel… from Pardon, for God hath not; only believe and repent. But as general a… this pardon is, yet is there ſomewha… that is diſcriminating in it, that make… it more illuſtrious; for it is not tendre… to Devils and Damned Spirits: Chriſt i… not appointed to be a Saviour unto them, nor is his Bloud a propitiation for their ſins; they are not under any Covenant of Grace, nor have they any promiſe of Mercy, no not ſo much as Conditional: It is not ſaid unto them, believe, and you ſhall be reſcued from the everlaſting reſidue of your Torments; believe, and thoſe unquenchable Flames, you are now burning in, ſhall be put out: No, God requires no ſuch Duty from them, neither hath he made any ſuch Promiſe to them; yea, ſhould it be ſuppoſed, that they could believe, yet this their Faith would not at all avail them, becauſe God hath ordained no Ranſome for them, and reſolves to receive no other ſatisfaction to his Juſtice, than their perſonal Puniſhment. But while we are alive, we are all the Objects of God's free pardoning p. 35Grace. And for any Man that hears the ſound of the Goſpel, and upon what terms God hath proclaimed forgiveneſs of Sin; if any Man, notwithſtanding ſhall periſh in his ſins, it is not becauſe God hath excluded him from Pardon, which he doth ſeriouſly, and with vehement importunity, offer and urge upon him; but becauſe he excludes himſelf by his own Impenitency and Unbelief, in not accepting of it.

Secondly, Pardoning Grace is free, Pardoning Grace is free in its ſpecial Application.in the ſpecial Application of it. Now the Application of Pardon is not made unto any, till the performance of thoſe Conditions upon which Pardon is tendred, and they are Faith and Repentance. Now herein is God's Grace infinitely free, who firſt fulfils theſe Conditions in his Children, that ſo he may fulfill his Gracious Promiſes unto them of Life and Pardon. The Conditional Covenant of Grace, promiſes Pardon and Remiſſion of Sins unto all that ſhall believe and repent: But notwithſtanding all this, the whole World might periſh under a contracted Impotency, whereby they could not believe nor repent, did p. 36not the Abſolute Covenant engag… God's Truth to work Faith and Repentance in the Hearts of his People: S… that one Covenant promiſeth Pardon i… we believe and repent, and the other Covenant beſtows this Faith and Repentance upon us. The Conditional Covenant promiſeth Pardon of ſin and Salvation, if we believe and repent and the abſolute Covenant promiſeth Faith and Repentance to us, to inable us to believe and repent. And what could God do more that might farther expreſs the freeneſs of his Grace to us, than to pardon upon Condition of Faith and Repentance, which Faith and Repentance he works in us. This is to pardon us as freely as if he had pardon'd us without any Faith and Repentance at all.

God pardons great ſinners, and paſſeth by thoſe that are guilty of leſs.Seventhly, God ſometimes ſelects out the greateſt and moſt notorious Sinners, to vouchſafe Grace and Pardon to them, when he ſuffers others eternally to periſh under far leſs guilt. He makes a difference in his Proceedings, quite contrary to the difference he finds in Mens Demerits. And wherefore is this but only to ſhew p. 37forth the abſolute freeneſs of his Grace, greater Debts are blotted out, when ſmaller ſtand ſtill upon the account, only that it may be known, that God is free to do what he will with his own, and that he will ſhew mercy to whom he will ſhew mercy, and whom he will he pardons. How many Heathens, Men of improved Natural Endowments, and proportionable Virtues; and yet not having Faith in, and knowledge of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, are excluded from pardon and forgiveneſs, whoſe ſins rather ſhew them to be Men, than not to be Chriſtians: Whereas others under the Noontide of the Goſpel, are guilty of ſuch flagitious Crimes, that ſhew them to be Monſters, rather than Men; and yet theſe upon their Faith and Repentance, obtain Pardon and Remiſſion, as if it were with God, as it is with Men, the more there is to be remembred, the ſooner he forgets. It is theſe Riches of Pardoning Grace that St. Paul admires and adores, when he tells us concerning himſelf, I was a Blaſphemer, and a Perſecutor, and Injurious, but I obtained mercy, 1 Tim. 1.13.

p. 38God pardons without foreſight of Merit.Eighthly, God decrees to pardon without foreſight of Merit, or worth in us. When we lay before him, as the Objects of his Mercy, what was our poſture, but weltering in our Bloud? And what promiſing, Aſpect was ſuch a loathſome Object as this? Divine Love did not foreſee any attractive Comelineſs in us, but made it; when we were rolled up in our own Filth, caſt forth to the loathing of our Fleſh; yet then was it a time of Love, and even then when we were in our Bloud, God ſaid to us, Live; when we were full of Wounds, Bruiſes, and putrifying Sores, Divine Love condeſcended to bind them up and cure them; ſuch miſerable deformed Creatures were we: And could there be any thing amiable in ſuch an Object as this, only hereby God puts an accent on the Riches of his Love, laying it out upon ſuch as were not worthy, with a deſign to make them worthy.

God pardons ſin, though he foreſees we will commit more ſin.Ninthly, Conſider this, God pardons not only, though he ſaw no Merit in us, but what is more to the Glory of his free Grace, though he foreſaw many future p. 39wrongs and injuries would be added to thoſe we had already done. He foreſaw all our Provocations and Rebellions, how we would abuſe his Grace, and turn it into wantonneſs. He ſaw the Rebellions of our unregeneracy, the Infirmities of our Converted State; yet tho' he foreſaw all before they were, yet he reſolved not to ſee them when they are, Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverſeneſs in Iſrael. And this, though it ought not to encourage us in ſin: yet it may be a ſupport and comfort to us, when through weakneſs and infirmity we have ſinned; that God who loved us, and decreed to pardon us, when he foreſaw how ſinful we would be, will not certainly now ceaſe to love us, and pardon us, when we are as vile and ſinful as he foreſaw we would be.

Tenthly, The Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſt, by whom alone we are paron'd, is the Gift of God.by whom alone we are pardon'd, is freely given to us by the Father. What price could we have offer'd, to have brought down the Son of his Eternal Love from his Embraces. What was there in us to draw a Saviour out of Heaven? Were p. 40we ſo amiable as to move him to diveſt himſelf of his Glory, and to Eclipſe his Deity in our Mortal Bodies, only that he might become like ſuch poor Worms as we are, and take us unto himſelf? Ask no more, but admire, God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him might not periſh, but have everlaſting Life. Here's a Myſtery that the whole College of Angels can never comprehend! What, God Condemn his Son, that he might pardon Rebels! The Son of God blot his Deity in our Fleſh, only that he might blot out our Tranſgreſſions with his Bloud! This is ſuch tranſcendent free Grace and Love, that in this we have an Advantage above the Angels themſelves, ſtanding higher in the Favour of God, upon this account, than they do.

Now compact all theſe Ten Particulars in your thoughts together, wherein the freeneſs of pardoning Grace moſt illuſtriouſly appears, and you will find there is good reaſon for God in the Text, triumphantly to aſcribe to himſelf, p. 41I, even I am he that blotteth out your Tranſgreſſions.

The Application I ſhall make of this Truth, I ſhall only briefly mention.

Firſt,ƲSE. We muſt not ſin becauſe of pardoning Grace. Is the Pardoning Grace of God thus free? Take heed then, that you do not abuſe, or turn it into Wantonneſs. Shall we continue in ſin, becauſe God ſo freely pardons ſin, God forbid? Who would ever make ſuch a curſed Inference as this, that ever had the leaſt ſenſe or touch of Divine Love upon his Heart. Every one loves to have his Ears tickled with this ſoft ſweet downy Doctrine of God's free Grace and Love; and when they hear it, they ſtretch themſelves upon it, and lull themſelves faſt aſleep in ſin. But what ſays the wiſe Man, Prov. 25.27. It is not good to eat much honey. No, there is no ſuch dangerous Surfeit, as upon the ſweet and luſcious Truths of the Goſpel. This Honey leaves a deadly ſting in Men that abuſe it to encourage themſelves in ſin. It is ſuch diſingenuity to argue from freeneſs of pardon, to freedom in ſinning, p. 42that I dare ſay, That no Heart that ever had a pardon ſealed to it by the Witneſs of the Spirit of God, but utterly abhors it. What therefore to provoke God, becauſe he is ready to forgive? What to multiply ſin, becauſe God is ready to pardon? What is this, but to ſpurn at thoſe Bowels of Mercy that yern towards us, and even to ſtrike at God with that Golden Scepter that he holds out to us, as a Token of Love and Peace: Certainly they who thus argue, and who thus act, never knew what a ſweet and powerful Attractiveneſs there is in the ſenſe of pardoning Grace and Love, to win over the Heart, from the practice of thoſe ſins that God hath forgot to puniſh.

Pardoning Grace engageth to Love God.Secondly, This ſhould engage us to Love that God who ſo loved us, as freely for his own ſake to forgive us ſuch vaſt Debts, and ſuch multiplied ſins. This is the import of that Speech of our Saviour, he loveth moſt, to whom moſt is forgiven him. And hence it is, and you may commonly obſerve it, That none are ſuch great Lovers and Admirers of free Grace, as thoſe who before Converſion p. 43were the vileſt and moſt flagitious Sinners.

Thirdly,Pardoning Grace ſhould teach us to forgive others. Since God doth ſo freely pardon us, let this teach us, and prevail with us to pardon and forgive the offence of others. This is that the Scripture doth urge as the moſt natural Inference of this Doctrine of God's pardoning Grace. Thus the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 4.32. Be ye kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God, for Chriſt's ſake, hath forgiven you. And ſay not as ignorant People are wont to do, I will forgive, but I will never forget; for God doth forgive, and forget too. I will blot out your tranſgreſſions, and I will remember your ſins no more. Your ſins againſt God are Talents, others Offences againſt you are but Pence; and if for every trivial Provocation you are ready to take your Brother by the Throat, and wreak your wrath and revenge upon him: may you not fear leſt your Lord and Maſter to whom you ſtand deeply indebted, ſhould alſo deal ſo with you for far greater Crimes, than others can be guilty of againſt you, and caſt you into Priſon until you have paid the utmoſt p. 44moſt Farthing; eſpecially conſidering that you pray for the forgiveneſs of your own ſins, as you do proportionably forgive the ſins of others. Forgive us our treſpaſſes as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us.

And thus I have opened and demonſtrated unto you the former part of the Doctrine, That the Grace of God whereby he blots out and forgives ſin, is abſolutely free. I am now in the next place to prove, that it is infinitely glorious.

Now this I ſhall endeavour to do by conſidering pardon of ſin in the Nature of it, in the Concomitants of it, and in the Effects and Conſequences of it: From all which it will appear, both how great a Mercy it is to us, and how great a Glory it is to God, that he blots out and forgets ſin. And,

Firſt, Let us conſider the nature of pardon of ſin, what it is. And this we cannot better diſcover than by looking into the Nature of ſin. Sin therefore, as the Apoſtle deſcribes it, is a Tranſgreſſion p. 45of the Law. Now to the Validity of any Law, there are Penalties literally expreſſed, or tacitly implyed, which are altogether neceſſary. The guilt contracted by the tranſgreſſing of the Law, is nothing but our liableneſs to undergo the Penalty threatned in the Law, and this guilt it is two-fold; the one is intrinſical and neceſſary, and that is the deſert of puniſhment, which ſin carries always in it. The other is extrinſical and adventitious, by which ſin is ordained to be puniſhed. Theſe two things are in every ſin. Every ſin deſerves Death, and God hath in his Law ordain'd and threatned to inflict Death for it.

Queſtion. Now it being clear, That Pardon and Remiſſion of Sin, is nothing but the removal of the guilt of ſin; the Queſtion is, Whether it removes that guilt that conſiſts in the deſert of puniſhment, or that which conſiſts in the voluntary appointment of it unto puniſhment, or both?

p. 46Anſwer. To this, I Anſwer, Pardon of ſin doth not remove the intrinſical deſert of puniſhment, but only the adventitious appointment and ordination of it unto puniſhment, flowing from the Will of God, who hath in his own Law threatned to puniſh ſin. Remiſſion doth not make that the ſins, even of Believers themſelves ſhould not deſerve Death; for a liableneſs to the penalty of the Law, in this ſence is a neceſſary conſequent upon the Tranſgreſſion of the Law: But becauſe God, in the Covenant of Grace, hath promiſed not to reward his Penitent Servants according to the evil of their doings, therefore Pardoning Grace removes this guilt of ſin ariſing from God's Ordination of it unto puniſhment. As now ſuppoſe a Traytour ſhould accept of the proffer of a Pardon, the guilt of his Treaſon ceaſeth not in the inward nature of it, but ſtill he deſerves to be puniſhed: but this Obnoxiouſneſs of his through the Prince's Favour and Appointment is taken away, and ſo that guilt ceaſeth. So the Repenting Sinner, every ſin he commits deſerves Death; but upon his believing p. 47in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, this liableneſs unto Death ceaſeth, being graciouſly remitted to them by God.

Now the Scripture ſets forth this Pardon of ſin, in very ſweet and full Expreſſions. It is called a covering of ſin, Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is the man, whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is covered. Though our covering of our ſins is no Security from the inſpection of God's Eye, who clearly beholds the moſt hidden and ſecret things of Darkneſs; yet certainly thoſe ſins that God himſelf hath covered from himſelf, he will never again look into, ſo as to puniſh for them. Nay, yet farther, as a ground of Comfort, Pardon of ſin is not only called a covering of our ſins from God's ſight, but a covering of God's Face and Sight from them; ſo we have it, Pſal. 51.9. Hide thy face from my ſins, and blot out mine iniquities. It is a caſting of our ſins behind God's back, as a thing that ſhall never more be regarded or look'd upon: ſo it is expreſſed to us, Iſaiah 38.17. Thou haſt in love to my ſoul, (ſays good Hezekiah, when a Meſſage of Death was p. 48brought to him by the Prophet) caſt all my ſins behind thy back. It is a caſting of them into the depth of the Sea; from whence they ſhall never more ariſe, either in this World, to terrifie our Conſciences; or in the World to come, to condemn our Souls; ſo we have it in Micah 1.19. I will caſt all their Iniquities, ſays God, into the depth of the Sea. It is a ſcattering of them as a thick cloud, ſo it is called, Eſay 44.22. I will ſcatter their ſins as a cloud, and their iniquities as a thick cloud. And in the Text, it is called a blotting out and a forgetting of ſin. I even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for my own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins: a blotting out, to ſhew, That God will never read his Debt-Book againſt us; and a forgetting it, That we may not fear, that God will accuſe us without-book.

Now theſe, and ſuch like Expreſſions, with which the Scripture doth abound, do very much illuſtrate the Mercy of God, in pardoning of ſin, and I ſhall unfold it in theſe following Particulars.

p. 49Firſt, Pardon and Remiſſion of ſin, Pardon of ſin an Act of God's only.is no Act of ours, but an Act of God's only. It is nothing done by us, or in us, but an Act of God's free Grace, meerly without us, and therefore God aſcribes it wholly unto himſelf, I even I am he. And when our Saviour cured the Paralytick, the Scribes ſtorm at him as a Blaſphemer, thou blaſphemeſt, ſay they to him, not knowing him to be God; for who, ſay they, can forgive ſins but God only?

But be it an Act of God's only, and not ours, and an Act wholly without us, what Comfort is there in this? yes much, and that upon theſe Grounds; becauſe God's Acts within us are always imperfect in this Life, but God's Acts without us, are always perfect and conſummate. Sanctification is a work of God's Grace within us: Now this becauſe it meets with much oppoſition in every Faculty, from inherent ſin, which ſpreads it ſelf over the whole Soul; therefore this work is always in this Life kept low and weak. But Pardon of ſin, is an Act without us, in the breaſt of God himſelf, where p. 50it meets with no oppoſition nor allay nor doth it increaſe by ſmall degrees but is at once as perfect and intire, a… ever it ſhall be. I do not mean, a… ſome have thought and taught, That God at once pardons all the ſins of true Believers, as well thoſe they do, or ſhal commit, as thoſe that they have already committed: but only, That what ſin God pardons, he doth not pardon then gradually. There is nothing left o… Guilt upon the Soul, when God pardons it; but there is ſomething left o… Filth upon the Soul, when God ſanctifies it. And therefore, as it is the grief of God's Children, That their inherent Holineſs is ſo imperfect here, that they are ſo aſſaulted with Temptations, ſo dogg'd by Corruption, ſo oppreſſed and almoſt ſtifled to Death by a body of ſin that lies heavy upon them; yet this, on the other ſide, may be for their Comfort and Encouragement, That God's pardoning Grace is not as his ſanctifying Grace is, nor is it granted to them by the ſame ſtint and meaſure. A ſin truly repented of, is not pardoned to us by halves, half the Guilt remitted, and half retained, as p. 51the Papiſts fanſie to eſtabliſh their Doctrine of Purgatory; but it is as fully pardon'd as it ſhall be in Heaven it ſelf: And hence it follows,

Firſt, Though the Guilt of ſin be removed, yet it is not our Repentance that removes it: for then, as no Man's Repentance is abſolutely perfect; ſo no Man's Sins ſhould be fully pardon'd; but ſtill there would be remainders of Guilt left upon the Conſcience, as there is ſtill a mixture of Impenitency in the beſt Chriſtians: But Pardon and Remiſſion is not mingled with Guilt, as Grace is with Sin; becauſe it is an Act of Mercy wrought, not in our breaſt, but ariſing in God's only, where it meets with nothing to allay or abate it, and it is infinitely more perfect than our Repentance can be.

Secondly, Hence we may inferr, Pardon of Sin more ſure, than our Aſſurance of it can be.That our Pardon is infinitely more ſure, than our Aſſurance of it in our own Conſciences can be ſatisfactory; for the ſenſe of Pardon is a work of God's Spirit within us, which commonly is mixed with ſome Heſitations, Miſ-givings, p. 52Doubts and Fears: And therefore tho our Comforts be never ſo ſtrong, tho it be Spring-Tide with us; yet our ground for Comfort is ſtill much more Oh what rich and abundant Grace is this in God towards us, that exceeds both our Grace and our Comfort! And therefore though, O Chriſtian, thy Sanctification be the beſt Evidence of thy Juſtification and Pardon, yet is it not the beſt Meaſure of it, for thou art juſtify'd and thou art pardon'd much more than thou art ſanctified; Sanctifying Grace in thee indeed is in its firſt Rudiments and Inchoation; but Pardoning-Grace in thy God, is conſummate and perfect. And that is the firſt thing.

Secondly, Remiſſion of Sin, makes Sin to be as if it had never been committed. Things that are forgotten, are no more to us, than if they had never had a being. Now God tells us, he forgets our ſins, their ſins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Nor is there any long Tract of Time required, to wear the Idea of them out of his Memory, as is neceſſary among p. 53Men, to make them forget the Wrongs and Injuries done to them by their fellow-Creatures; for God forgets the ſins of his Children, as ſoon as they are repented of; yea, ſometimes ſooner than our Conſciences do: for many times a Chriſtian, after a heart-breaking-Repentance for ſome great Sin, lies under the upbraidings of Conſcience, when God hath forgiven it; yea, and forgotten it alſo. God's Officer is not ſo ready to acquit them, as God himſelf is. He forgets as though no Provocation or Offence had ever been committed. He retains not his Anger for ever, ſays the Prophet, Micah 7.14. not for ever, but ſo ſoon as ever we grow diſpleaſed with our ſelves, he begins to be well-pleaſed with us; no ſooner doth Sorrow and Grief overſpread our Faces, but Favours and Smiles clear up his Face to us. See this gracious Diſpoſition of God, in Jerem. 31.20. Ephraim is there brought in bewailing his ſin: Surely, ſays he, after I was turned, I repented; after I was inſtructed, I ſmote upon my thigh; I was aſhamed, yea, even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth: p. 54Now, what doth God but preſently embrace him, with moſt tender and moſt melting Expreſſions of Love, as if he had never been angry, nor had any cauſe for it: Is Ephraim my dear Son, is he a pleaſant Child, ſince I paſs againſt him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill; my bowels are troubled for him; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. And therefore, O Chriſtian, thou who now perhaps cryeſt out in the bitterneſs of thy Soul, Oh, that I had never committed this or that ſin againſt God! Oh, that I had never offended him in this or that manner! Why thou haſt thy Wiſh, O Sinner, herein; for God, when he pardons ſin, makes it as if it had never been committed againſt him.

Remiſſion of Sin, makes God account of us as juſt and righteous.Thirdly, hence it follows, That upon Remiſſion of Sin, God no longer accounts of us as Sinners, but as Juſt and Righteous. It is true, after a Pardon is received, we ſtill retain ſinful Natures; ſtill Original Corruption is in us, and will never totally be diſ-lodged out of us in this Life: but when God pardons us, he looks not upon us as Sinners, p. 55but as Juſt and Righteous. A Malefactour, that is diſcharged, by ſatisfying the Law, or by the Prince's Favour to him, is no more look'd upon as a Malefactour, but as Juſt and Righteous, as if he had never offended the Law at all; ſo is it here: we are both ways diſcharged from our Guilt, by Satisfaction unto the Penalty of the Law in Chriſt our Surety, and by the free Grace and Mercy of God, who hath made and ſealed to us a gracious Act of Pardon in Chriſt's Blood; and therefore we ſtand upright in Law, and are as Juſt and Righteous in God's ſight, as if we had never ſinned againſt him. O how great Conſolation is here, unto the Children of God! They account themſelves great Sinners, yea, the greateſt and worſt of Sinners; but God accounts them Juſt and Righteous; they keep their ſins in remembrance, as David ſpeaks, my ſin is ever before me; when God hath not only forgiven, but fotgotten them: they write and ſpeak bitter things againſt themſelves, when God is writing out their Pardon, and ſetting his Seal unto it.

p. 56God's Grace as eaſily pardons great as ſmall ſins.Fourthly, Pardoning Grace can as eaſily triumph in the remitting of great and many Sins, as of few and ſmall Sins. What a great blot upon the Heavens is a thick Cloud, and yet the Beams of the Sun can pierce thorow that, and ſcatter it eaſily. Why now God will blot out our Trangreſſions as a thick Cloud, ſo himſelf tells us by the Prophet, Iſa. 44.12. I will blot out thy tranſgreſſions as a cloud, and thine iniquities as a thick cloud. A great Debt may as eaſily be blotted out as a ſmall one. Ten thouſand Talents is a great Summ, yet it is as eaſily and freely forgiven, by the great God, as a few Pence. God proclaims himſelf, to be a God pardoning Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion, and Sin; that is, Sins of all ſorts and ſizes. The greateſt Sins repented of, are no more without the Extent of Divine Grace and Mercy, than the leaſt Sins, unrepented of, are without the Cognizance of Divine Juſtice. Eſay 1.18. Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, yet ſhall they become as white as ſnow; though they be red as crimſon, yet they ſhall be as wooll. And can there then be found a deſpairing p. 57Soul in the World, when the great God hath thus magnified his Grace and Mercy above all his Works, yea, and above all ours alſo? Say not then, O Sinner, my ſins are greater than can be forgiven; this is to ſtint and limit the Grace of God, which he hath made boundleſs and infinite: and thou mayeſt, with as much Truth and Reaſon ſay, thou art greater than God, as that thy Sins are greater than his Mercy. Of all things in the World take heed that you be not injurious to this rich Grace, to this free Love and Mercy, that pardons thee even for his own ſake. God pardons thee for himſelf, for his own Sake, and doſt thou fear, O Penitent believing Soul, that ever he will condemn thee for thy Sins? no, but as much as God and his Mercy is greater than our Sins, ſo much more Reaſon will he find in himſelf to Pardon the Repenting Believing Sinner, than he can find Reaſon in his Sins to condemn him.

Thus we ſee what cauſe of Comfort there is in this Pardoning Grace of God. And thus alſo we have conſider'd Pardon of Sin in its own Nature.

p. 58Of the Concomitants of Pardon of ſin.Secondly, We ſhall now conſider Pardon of Sin in its Concomitants and Adjuncts, and ſo we ſhall take a view of thoſe things which do inſeparably accompany it, and thereby alſo we may ſee, how great and unſpeakable a Mercy it is. It is a Mercy that is never beſtowed upon the Soul ſingly and alone, but evermore comes environ'd with whole Troops and Aſſociate-Bleſſings. As,

Pardon of Sin, and Acceptation go together.Firſt, Pardon of Sin is always conjoyn'd with the Acceptation of our Perſons. Indeed theſe two are the twin Parts of our Juſtification; and therefore we have them coupled together, Epheſ. 1.6, 7. He hath made us accepted in the beloved; In whom we have Redemption thorow his blood, even the Forgiveneſs of Sin. The whole Myſtery of our Juſtification ſtands in theſe two things, Remiſſion and Acceptation. Remiſſion takes away our liableneſs unto Death, and Acceptation gives us a Right and Title unto Life; for to be accepted of God in Chriſt, is no other, than for God through the Righteouſneſs and Obedience p. 59of Chriſt imputed to us, to own and acknowledge us, as having a Right and Title unto Heaven: and therefore we have mention made of Pardon and an Inheritance together, as the full ſumm of our Juſtification. Acts 11.18. That they may receive forgiveneſs of ſin, and an inheritance among thoſe that are ſanctified. It is not therefore, O Soul, a bare negative Mercy that God intends thee in the Pardon of thy Sins; it is not merely the removing of the Curſe and the Wrath that thy ſins have deſerv'd, though that alone can never be ſufficiently admired; but the ſame hand that plucks thee out of Hell, by pardoning Grace and Mercy, lifts thee up to Heaven, by what it gives thee together with thy Pardon, even a Right and Title to the glorious Inheritance of the Saints above.

Secondly, Another Concomitant is this, Pardoning and ſanctifying Grace go together.Who-ever God pardons, he doth alſo in ſome meaſure ſanctifie. He ſubdues our ſins, as well as blots them out; he abates their Power, as well as removes their Guilt. And indeed it were no better than loſt labour, for God to pardon p. 60ſin, if he did not purifie the Sinner alſo: for, were but the leaſt Sin and Corruption left to rule and reign in us, we ſhould preſently run our ſelves as far into Debt and Arrears, as ever we were. Indeed the beſt Chriſtian, in whom Grace is moſt prevailing, and Corruption weakeſt, yet even he ſtands daily and hourly in need of pardoning Mercy; but yet withal, his Sins are not of ſo high a Nature, nor ſo deep a Stain, as uſually the Sins of wicked Men are. His Sins uſually are ſuch rather for the manner of them, than for the matter of them: God, by his pardoning Grace, forgives Infirmities, Failings, and Defects; and, by his ſanctifying Grace, ordinarily keeps him from the commiſſion of more groſs and ſcandalous Sins. And how then can we enough admire the rich Grace of God, that not only forgives us our Debts, but withal beſtows a new ſtock upon us, to keep us from running into Debt again, in any great and deſperate Summs.

Pardon of Sin and Adoption, are inſeparable.Thirdly, Pardon of ſin is always conjoyn'd with our Adoption into the Family p. 61of Heaven. Herein is the Love of God greatly ſeen, not only to pardon Rebels, but to make them his Children: not only to forgive Debtors, but to make them Heirs of his own Eſtate. The ſame precious Blood that blots out our Sins, writes us down Heirs of Glory, and Co-heirs with Jeſus Chriſt himſelf. O infinite and unſpeakable Mercy of God, thus richly and bountiful to give, as well as freely to forgive! that he ſhould thus inſtate us at preſent, in his Love and Favour, and hereafter inſtate us in his Glory! This is not the manner of Men, O Lord, but, as far as the Heavens are above the Earth, ſo far are the Thoughts of God above our Thoughts, and his Ways above our Ways: And therefore, as far as the Eaſt is from the West, ſo far hath he removed our Sins from us: And why ſo far? but only that he might make room for theſe great and unſpeakable Mercies of Juſtification, Sanctification, and Adoption to intervene.

And ſo much for the Second thing propoſed, namely, the Concomitants and Adjuncts of Pardon of Sin.

p. 62Of the Effects and Conſequences of Pardon of Sin.Thirdly, Let us now Conſider, Pardon of Sin, in the Effects and Conſequences of it, and from hence alſo it will appear, How tranſcendent a Mercy it is, and how juſt a Title God hath to glory in it, when he ſaith, I even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions. Mercies temporal and ſpiritual, the Bleſſings of this Life, and the Glory of a future; what-ever indeed can be called a Mercy or good thing, doth acknowledge it ſelf a retainer to this primitive and fountain-Mercy of Pardon of Sin. Now in ſuch a heap of them, I ſhall only cull out ſome few that are moſt conſpicuous.

Now Remiſſion of Sin may be conſider'd; either as it lies in God's Eternal Intention, or in the Spirit's temporal Application of it.

The one is God's purpoſe before all time, to forgive us; the other is rhe execution of that purpoſe in time. If we conſider Pardon of Sin in God's Eternal purpoſe and intendment, ſo there are two bleſſed Effects flowing from it, and they are theſe.

p. 63Firſt, The ſending of Jeſus Chriſt into the World.

Secondly, The great Gift of Faith.

Firſt,The ſending Chriſt into the World, the effect of God's purpoſe to pardon ſin. The ſending of Jeſus Chriſt into the World, who is the cauſe of all happineſs unto ſinful Man, was it ſelf the effect of this purpoſe of God, to pardon and forgive Sinners. It is very difficult to trace out the Order of the Divine Decrees concerning the Salvation of Mankind, and to paſs from one of them to another, as they lie ranked and methodized in God's Breaſt: And divers that have attempted to ſearch out theſe Arcana Dei, this Art and Myſtery of Juſtice and Mercy, have trodden in paths different from one another, and doubtleſs many of them differing from the Truth alſo. I ſhall not ſtand to draw a Scheme of theſe Decrees of God, let it now ſuffice us to know, that God, from all Eternity, foreſeeing the Sin and Miſery, which Man would, by his permiſſion, and his own ſin, involve himſelf in, did, for the manifeſtation of the Riches, both of his Mercy and p. 64Juſtice, enter into Counſel, how to pardon and ſave him. This was the end of God's deſign, even to reſtore again to Happineſs ſome of Mankind; even as many as he ſhould ſelect out of the Maſs and common Rubbiſh of Sin and Miſery, and ſet apart for himſelf. Well, but how ſhall this end be accompliſhed and brought about: Juſtice brandiſheth its Sword in the Face of Sinners, and demands as great a ſhare of Glory in puniſhment, as Mercy doth in pardoning; and God is reſolved to glorifie both of theſe Attributes of his in their ſeveral demands: This now put him upon ranſacking of the deepeſt Counſel that ever lodged in his Heart, even of an Adored Mediatour, in whom Justice receives full ſatisfaction, and Mercy triumphs in a full Pardon, and both are infinitely glorious. For this end, God ſent down his Son from Heaven to Earth, to become a Propitiation for us, and ſo through the ſhedding of his Bloud to obtain remiſſion and forgiveneſs of ſins for us. God's Mercy and his Beloved Son could not reſt together in his Boſom, and therefore his purpoſe of pardoning Sin was ſo efficacious, p. 65that to make room for the diſplaying of his Mercy, he ſends his own Son out of Heaven, never to enter again there, till by his Merit and Sufferings he had procured Remiſſion of Sins for all thoſe that believe in him. Hence the Apostle, Rom. 3.26. tells us, That God ſent forth Chriſt to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Bloud, to declare his Righteouſneſs for the Remiſſion of Sins that are paſt, through God's forbearance, that he might be Juſt, and the Juſtifier of them that believe in Jeſus. As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, God could not be Juſt, if he ſhould juſtifie Sinners that deſerve his Wrath, unleſs he had ſent forth Jeſus Chriſt into the World to become a Propitiation and Sacrifice to his Juſtice for their Sins: For having threatned in his unalterable word to inflict vengeance upon all that are guilty, his Truth obliged him to this dreadful ſeverity upon all, ſince all are guilty. But that Chriſt taking on him the guilt of ſinners, by his own undergoing the wrath of God, and the Curſe of the Law, hath ſo fully appeaſed Divine Juſtice, that now God, though he doth not puniſh Sinners in themſelves, can yet be p. 66Juſt and the Juſtifier of Sinners, therefore he ſent forth Chriſt to be a Propitiation. God's Eternal Purpoſe to glorifie his Juſtice in the puniſhing ſin, and yet to glorifie his Grace and Mercy in pardoning Sinners, wrought this great effect of ſending Chriſt into the World, whereby two ſuch different ends might with Infinite Wiſdom be accompliſhed. So that Chriſt who is the cauſe of all our Happineſs and Mercy, is yet himſelf the effect of God's Purpoſe and Intent to pardon ſin. And what can be ſaid more to advance the greatneſs of this Mercy, a Mercy ſo great, that one of the Fathers, St. Gregory by Name, doubted whether it were more Miſery or Happineſs that Adam fell, ſince his Sin and Fall occaſioned ſuch a wonderful Redeemer, and ſuch a Glorious Salvation; Foelix culpa, ſays he, O Happy Fall, that obtained ſuch a Redeemer.

Faith, the Effect of pardoning Mercy.Secondly, Another bleſſed Effect of God's purpoſe in pardoning ſin, is the great gift of Faith. Indeed to give Jeſus Chriſt, were utterly in vain, did not God withal give Faith to accept him. To tender Chriſt to an Unbeliever, is p. 67to offer a Gift where there is no Hand to receive it. Hence that God's purpoſe of giving pardon might ſtand valid, that the Death of Chriſt might not be fruitleſs, and that his Bloud might not be like Water ſpilt on the ground, that cannot be gathered up again. God decreed to beſtow Faith upon them that believe, that may convey to them the Benefits of Chriſt's Merits in their Pardon and Remiſſion. Theſe two bleſſed Effects now follow in God's Purpoſe and Intention of pardoning ſin; even the Gift of Chriſt to procure, and the Gift of Faith to apply Pardon unto the Soul.

Secondly, And more eſpecially, Let us conſider Pardon of Sin in its temporal and real Application: And ſo the happy Effects of it are manifold, I ſhall only inſtance in ſome at preſent.

Firſt,Pardon of ſin gives ſecurity againſt God's Juſtice. Pardon of Sin gives an inviolable ſecurity againſt the purſuits of avenging Juſtice. This is its formal, and moſt immediate Effect. Juſtice follows guilty Sinners cloſe at the Heels, and ſhakes its flaming Sword over their p. 68Heads: every Threatning contained in this Book of God, ſtands ready charged againſt them, and their Sins make them ſo fair a Mark, that they cannot be miſſed. Hence is that ſad Complaint of Job, Why haſt thou ſet me up as a Mark? Into which he emptied his Arrows as into his Reins, Job 7.20. Now while Juſtice is driving the Sinner before him from Plague to Plague, reſolving never to ſtop till he hath driven him into Hell, the great Aſſembly and Meeting of all Plagues: Mercy interpoſeth and lays its Arreſt upon it; and this Gracious Act of Pardon reſcues us, though under the hands of the Executioner, and we ready to be turned into Hell. Here the Challenge that Juſtice makes to us ceaſeth, and we are left to walk ſafely under the protection of Mercy. For when God iſſues out a Pardon, he calls off Juſtice from its purſuit. Thus you have the Pſalmist thankfully acknowledging, Pſalm 85.2. Thou haſt forgiven our Iniquities; and what follows now, Thou haſt taken away all thy Wrath, thou haſt turned thy ſelf from the fierceneſs of thine Anger. Nor is it to be feared, O Soul, that thou p. 69ſhalt evermore be queſtioned for thoſe ſins that are once forgiven thee. God's Acts of Oblivion can never be repealed: No, God ſets an everlaſting Sanction upon them, and Juſtice ſhall never again moleſt thee, Jeremiah 34. I will forgive their iniquities, and will remember their ſins no more. And indeed, well may Divine Juſtice ceaſe its purſuit of the guilty ſinner, for always when God pardons a ſinner, he turns his purſuit after Chriſt, and ſatisfies all his juſt demands upon him: for though we are the Principals in the Debt, yet our Surety, who ſtands bound for us in the Covenant of Redemption, is far the more able and abſolving Perſon.

Now is not this an unſpeakable mercy, that Juſtice and Vengeance, the heavy ſtroaks of which many thouſand Wretches lie under, and which thy ſins have provoked and armed againſt thy own Soul, that might, every ſin thou committeſt, that is every moment of thy Life, ſtrike thee Dead in the place; in the dread of which, if thou haſt any tenderneſs of Conſcience left in thee, thou muſt needs live in continual fearful expectations of this Wrath of p. 70God, to deſtroy thee as his Enemy. Is it not now Infinite Mercy that God ſhould call in the Commiſſion given to his Juſtice, that Mercy might ſecure thee from it: What is this but the effect of Pardoning Grace that gives this deſtroyer charge to paſs over all thoſe upon whoſe Conſciences the Bloud of Chriſt is ſprinkled for the removal of their guilt.

Peace and Reconciliation, an Effect of pardon of ſin.Secondly, Another Bleſſed Effect of Pardon of Sin, is Peace and Reconciliation with God. And what happineſs can there be greater, than when the Quarrel betwixt Heaven and Earth, betwixt God and the Sinner, is taken up and compounded. Open Wars have been long proclaimed, and long maintained on either part; ever ſince the firſt great Rebellion, Man hath ſtood in defiance with, and exerciſed great Hoſtility againſt his Creatour; and God on the other hand, hath thundred out whole Peals of Curſes againſt theſe Rebels, and hath ſlain whole Generations of them eternally Dead upon the place. God hath ſtill maintain'd his Cauſe with Victory, and Man his with Obſtinacy; p. 71and this War would never ceaſe, did not God proclaim Pardon and Forgiveneſs to all that will lay down their Arms and ſubmit. Now hereupon Peace is concluded fully: for firſt God's pardoning Sinners, manifeſts himſelf to be fully reconciled to them, ſo the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 5.1. Being Justified by Faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jeſus Christ. God is a ſworn Enemy to all guilty ſinners, himſelf hath affixed this Title to the reſt of his Name, That he will by no means clear the guilty. Guilt hath a malign influence, not only on our Conſciences to diſcompoſe them with Terrours and Affrightments, but on God's Countenance alſo to ruffle it into Frowns and Diſpleaſure. Now when God pardons ſin, he wipes away this over-caſting Cloud: and the cauſe of Enmity being removed, his Face and Favour clears up to us. And then,

Secondly, Pardon of Sin is a ſtrong Inducement to us to lay down the Weapons of our Warfare, and be at peace with God. What Argument can be more prevailing where there is any Principle of Ingenuity? p. 72When God thus proclaims Peace, ſhall I continue War? He Pardons, and ſhall I Rebel? He is Reconciled, and ſhall I be Implacable? Shall I perſiſt in thoſe ſins which he forgives? No, far be it from me: I ſubmit to that God, whoſe rich Grace conquers by condeſcending, as well as his Power by cruſhing. And thus the Soul lays down its Weapons at the Feet of God, and humbly embraceth the terms of Agreement propounded by him in the Goſpel.

Pardon of ſin lays a good foundation, for Acquaintance and Communion with God.Thirdly, Pardon of Sin lays a good Foundation for the Souls near Acquaintance and Communion with God. Guilt is the only thing that breeds Alienation. Your Iniquities, ſays the Prophet, have ſeparated betwixt you and your God, Iſa. 59.2. Nor indeed is it poſſible that a guilty Sinner ſhould any more delight in Converſing with God, than a guilty Malefactour delights in the preſence of his Judge. And therefore we ſee when Adam had contracted guilt upon himſelf by eating the Forbidden Fruit, how childiſhly and fooliſhly doth he behave himſelf? God calls him, and he runs p. 73behind a Tree to hide himſelf; what a ſuddain change was here? Adam, who but a little before was his Creator's Familiar, now dreads and ſhuns him; his guilt makes him apprehend God's Call to be no other than a Summons to the Bar. Nor indeed can it be otherwiſe, but that guilt ſhould produce Alienation betwixt God and the Soul; for look how diſtance grows between two familiar Friends, ſo doth it here: If a Man be Conſcious to himſelf, that he hath done his Friend an Injury; what Influence hath this upon him? why, preſently it makes him more ſhy and reſerved to him than before. So is it here, Conſciouſneſs of guilt fills us with a troubleſome ill-natur'd ſhame; we are aſhamed to look God in the Face, whom we have ſo much wronged by our ſins. And Secondly this ſhame is always joyned with a ſlaviſh and baſe fear of God, leſt he ſhould Revenge himſelf upon us, for the Injuries that we have done to him; and both this Shame and Fear, takes off from that holy freedom and boldneſs, which reverently to uſe towards God, is the guſt and Spirit of our Communion p. 74and Fellowſhip with him; and all theſe leſſen that ſweet Delight in God, that formerly we reliſht in the Intimacy of this Heavenly Fellowſhip: And what can be the final product of all this, but a moſt ſad Alienation, and Eſtrangement between God and the Soul? But now Pardon of Sin removes theſe Obſtructions, and cauſeth the intercourſe betwixt God and the Soul to paſs free, becauſe it gives the Soul a Holy, and yet Awful Boldneſs in Converſing with the Great and Terrible Majeſty of God. So much ſence of Pardon and Reconciliation as we have, ſo much boldneſs ſhall we have ordinarily in our Addreſſes to God. What's the Reaſon the Conſciences of Wicked Men drag them before God, and they come with ſo much Diffidence, Dejectedneſs, and Jealouſie? Why, it is, becauſe they are Conſcious to themſelves of guilt that lies upon them, and this makes them look on God rather under the Notion of a Judge, than of a Friend, or Father, and this makes them perform their Duties ſo diſtruſtfully, as if they would not have God take any notice p. 75that they were in his Preſence. But when a Pardon'd ſinner makes his Addreſſes to God, he may do it with a Holy freedom, the Face of his Soul looks chearfully, and he Treats with God with an open Heart: What ground is there now for ſuch a Confidence as this is? For poor vile Duſt and Aſhes to appear thus before the great God of Heaven and Earth? Yes, there is; for Guilt is removed, his Peace is made in the Bloud of Chriſt, all Enmity is aboliſhed, all Quarrels are decided; and it becomes not him to ſerve God with ſuch Suſpiciouſneſs as Guilty Sinners do. Hence we have that Expreſſion of the Apoſtle, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near to him in full Aſſurance of Faith, having our Hearts ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience, That is, from a Guilty and an Accuſing Conſcience: Now when the Heart and Conſcience is ſprinkled with the Bloud of Chriſt, whereby this Guilt is taken off, then hath a Man good ground to draw near to God, in full Aſſurance of Faith.

p. 76Fourthly, Pardon of Sin lays a good ground for Peace in a Man's own Conſcience. I do not ſay that Peace of Conſcience is always an inſeparable Attendant upon Pardon of Sin: For doubtleſs there are many ſo unhappy as to have a Wrangling Conſcience in their own Boſoms, when God is at Peace with them: But this is certain, That Pardon of Sin lays a ſolid ground and Foundation for Peace in a Man's own Conſcience, and were Chriſtians but as induſtrious as they ſhould be in clearing up their Evidences for Heaven, they might obtain Peace whenever they are pardon'd. What is there that diſquiets Conſcience, but only Guilt? nothing but the Guilt of Sin doth it; this is that which rageth and ſtormeth in Wicked Men, and is as a Tempeſt within their Breaſts; this is that unſeen Scourge that draws Bloud and Groans at every Laſh; this is that Worm that lies perpetually gnawing at the Heart of a Sinner; this is that Rack that breaks the Bones, and disjoynts the Soul it ſelf. In a word, Guilt is the Fuel of Hell, and the Incendiary of Conſcience: were p. 77it not for Guilt, there were not a more pleaſant and peaceable thing in all the World, than a Man's own Conſcience. Now Pardon of Sin removes this Guilt, and thereby makes Reconciliation between us and our Conſciences; and therefore, ſays our Saviour, Matth. 9.2. to the Paralytick Man, Son, be of good chear, thy Sins are forgiven thee; why might not ſome ſay, this is an Impertinent Speech, to ſay to one that was brought to be cured of a ſad Infirmity of Body, That his Sins were forgiven him, whilſt yet his Diſeaſe was not cured? Not but our Lord Chriſt knew, that there was infinitely more cauſe of Joy and Chearfulneſs to have Sin Pardon'd, than to have Diſeaſes cured. To have all calm and ſerene within, not to have a Frown, or Wrinkle upon the Face of the Soul, to have all ſmooth Thoughts and peaceful Affections; this is ſome faint reſemblance of Heaven it ſelf, and is never vouchſaft unto any, but where Pardon and the ſence of it is given to the Soul.

p. 78Pardon of ſin takes away the Curſe of every Affliction.Fifthly, He whoſe Sins are Pardon'd may reſt aſſured, that whatever Calamities or Afflictions he may lie under, yet ther… is nothing in them of a Curſe or Puniſhment. It is Guilt alone that diffuſet… Poiſon through the Veins, as of all ou… Enjoyments, ſo of all Afflictions alſo and turns them all into Curſes. Bu… Pardon of Sin takes away this Venome and makes them all to be Medicina… Corrections, good, profitable, and advantagious to the Soul. See how God by the Prophet expreſſeth this, Iſa. 33.24. The Inhabitants ſhall not ſay they are ſick: Why ſo? For the People that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their Iniquities. When Sin is Pardon'd, outward Afflictions are not worth complaining of: The Inhabitants ſhall not ſay, We are Sick▪ A Diſeaſe then becomes a Medicine, when Pardon hath taken away the Curſe and Puniſhment of it. God hath two ends with reſpect of himſelf for which he brings Puniſhments upon us, the one is the Manifeſtation of his Holineſs, the other is for the ſatisfaction of his Juſtice. And accordingly, as any Affliction tends to either of theſe ends, p. 79ſo is it properly a Puniſhment, or barely a Fatherly Chaſtiſement. If God intends by the Afflictions he lays upon thee, the ſatisfaction of his Juſtice, then thy Afflictions are properly Puniſhments, and they flow from the Curſe of the Law, but if the manifeſtation of his Holineſs be all he intends by them, then are they only Fatherly Corrections proceeding from Love and Mercy.

Firſt, Thoſe whoſe ſins God hath pardon'd, he may afflict for the declaration of his Holineſs, that they may ſee, and know what a Holy God they have to deal with; who ſo perfectly hates ſin, that he will follow it with Chaſtiſements even upon thoſe whom his free Grace hath pardon'd.

Secondly, God inflicts no Chastiſements upon thoſe whom he hath pardon'd, for the ſatisfaction of his Juſtice: and therefore they are not Curſes, nor properly Puniſhments, but only Corrections and Fatherly Chaſtiſements. Chriſt hath ſatisfied the demands of Juſtice for their Sins, and God is more juſt, than to exact p. 80double ſatisfaction for the ſame Offence, one in Chriſt's Puniſhment, and another in theirs. The Apoſtle tells us, Gal. 3.13. Chriſt hath Redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, being made a Curſe for us. It is not the Evils that we ſuffer, that makes them Curſes, or Puniſhments, be they never ſo great; but only the Ordination of theſe Evils to the ſatisfaction of Divine Juſtice upon us. And therefore Chriſt in Scripture is ſaid to be made a Curſe, not ſimply becauſe he ſuffered, but becauſe he was adjudged to his Sufferings, that thereby ſatisfaction might be made unto the Juſtice of God. Hence therefore with what calmneſs and peace may a Pardoned Sinner look upon any Afflictions, though they are ſore and heavy, tho they ſeem to carry much of God's Anger in them; yet there is nothing of a Curſe, or of the nature of a Puniſhment; the Sting was all of it received into the Body of Chriſt, and now God's Righteouſneſs will not ſuffer him to puniſh them again in their own Perſons, whom he hath already puniſht in their Surety. Imagine what Affliction thou canſt. Art thou pinched with Want and Poverty? Doeſt thou ſuſtain p. 81Loſſes in thy Eſtate, in thy Relations? Art thou tormented with Pains, weakned by Diſeaſes, and will all theſe bring Death upon thee at the laſt? Yet, O Soul, if thy Sins are Pardon'd, here is nothing of a Curſe, or Puniſhment in all this, Juſtice is already ſatisfied by Chriſt's bearing the Curſe of the Law for thee; Come what will come, it ſhall not hurt thee; Afflictions are all weak and weaponleſs, they are only the Corrections of a Loving Father, for the manifeſtation of his Holineſs, and for thy Eternal Gain and Advantage. Very ſad is the Condition of Guilty Sinners, for whether they know it or not, there is not the leaſt Affliction, not the leaſt Gripe or Pain, not the leaſt ſlight, or inconſiderable Croſs, but it is a Puniſhment inflicted by God, upon them, for the Guilt of their Sins; God is now a beginning to ſatisfie his Juſtice, and theſe are ſent by him to Arreſt and Seize on them; he now begins to take them by the Throat, and calls upon them to pay him what they owe him. Every Affliction to them is part of Payment, and is exacted from them as part of Payment. O the vaſt and infinite Sums of Plagues p. 82that God will moſt ſeverely exact from them in Hell, where they ſhall pay to the utmoſt Farthing. There is not the leaſt Calamity that befals Wicked and Unpardon'd Sinners, but carries the Venom of a Curſe in it, and is inflicted by God upon them in order to the Satisfaction of his Juſtice on them: which compleat ſatisfaction he will work out upon them in their Compleat Torments in Hell. So much for this Time and Text.

FINIS.