Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the Parts and Termes of Iustification, Remission of sins, and Imputation of Christs Righteousnesse.
JUstification is used so largely in the Scripture, as to comprehend under it RemissionPeccati remissionem & justitiae imputationem non esse eadem planè, certissimum est, potest enim justitia alicui imputari; cui non remittitur peccatum, Psal, 106. 31. potest & peccatum alicui condonari, eui justitia tamen non imputatur, 2 Cor. 2. 7. Gatakerus Animadvers. in Piscat. & Luc. Scripta de causa meritoria nostri coram Deo Iustificationis, partis primae Sect. 8. of sins; but if we will speak accurately there is a difference between Remission of sin, and the justification of the sinner.
The justification of a sinner properly and strictly is the cleansing and purging of a sinner from the guilt of his sins by the gift and imputation of the righteousnesse of his Surety Jesus Christ, for which his sins are pardoned, and the sinner freed from the punishment of sinne, and received into the favour of God.
Remission or forgivenesse of sins may be thus described. It is a blessing of God upon his Church procured by the death and passion of Christ, whereby God esteems of sinne as no sinne, or as not committed. Or thus, It is an act of grace acquitting the sinner from the guilt and whole punishment of sin.
Every subject of Christs Kingdom hath his sins pardoned, Isa. 33. ult. This is one of the priviledges of the Church in the Apostles Creed, Acts 2. 38, 39. and all his sins totally pardoned, Exod. 34. 6, 7. Micah 7. 18, 19. This is a great priviledge, Psal. 32. 1. Exod. 31. 34. It is no where to be had but in the Church, because it is purchased by Christs bloud, and is a fruit of Gods eternal love. Remission of sins is the principal part of Redemption, Col. 1. 14. Ephes. 1. 7. one of the chief things in the Covenant, Ier. 31. Heb. 8. The holy Ghost seldom names it without some high expression, Psal. 51. Ephes. 1.
Remission of sins, and of which.
This Remission is both free and full, Isa. 1. 43. Ezek. 25. 18, 22. Heb. 8. 12.
Manasseh, Salomon, Paul, Mary Magdalen were great sinners, yet pardoned. God doth of his own free grace and mercy forgive us our sins, Psal. 51. 1. Rom. 3. 24. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Ioh. 2. 12.
The word remitting or forgiving implies that sinne is a debt or offence, as Christ cals it in his form of Prayer. God is said to forgive when he takes away the guilt, and frees us from condemnation, Isa. 44. 22.
Secondly, The inward cause in God which moves him to it is his grace, for God might have left all mankinde under the power of their sins, as he hath done the Devils.
Thirdly, The outward meritorious cause is the bloud of Christ. Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews largely shews, that it was the bloud of Christ typified by the Sacrifices that purgeth us from our sins, by Christs merits Gods grace is obtained.
Fourthly, The instrumental cause is faith, Rom. 3. 25. & 5. 1. not considered as a work, but as an act of the soul receiving and applying Christ to us, not going out to him as love doth, for then it were a work.
Fifthly, The immediate effect of it is Sanctification, and the healing of our nature, Rom. 8. 1. to be cleansed or washed from sin implies both the taking away the guilt of it, and giving power against our corruptions.
For these six thousand years God hath been multiplying pardons, and yet freeIsa. 55. 7. Rom. 5. 16. grace is not tired and grown weary.
Our sins are covered, Psal. 32. 1. as a loathsom sore, cast into the Sea, Micah 7. 19. as Pharaoh and the Aegyptians, blotted out as a debt in a book, Isa. 44. 22. Psal. 55. 1.
Object. We have forgivenesse of sins upon a price, therefore we are not freely forgiven.
Answ. Forgivenesse of sins and Christs Satisfaction may well consist, whatsoever it cost Christ it costs us nothing.
1. It was infinite grace that God should ever intend to pardon a wretched sinner, Ephes. 1. 6.
2. That he should give his Son for this, and that this sinner should be pardoned, and not another.
Object. God will not forgive except we repent and beleeve, Acts 2. 19. & 10. 42.
Answ. God promiseth forgivenesse to such only as repent and beleeve, but they have forgivenesse meerly from the grace of God, not from the worthinesse of their beleeving or repenting, Hos. 14. 4
2. These graces are freely given them, To you it is given to beleeve, and God hath given repentance to the Gentiles.
To whom it appertains to remit sins.
The power of remitting sins belongs only to God, I, even I blot out thy transgressions, Isa. 43. 25. that is true in the Gospel, though not well applied, Who can forgive sins but God only? because it is an offence against him, that you may knowMark 2. 7. who hath power (saith Christ) to forgive sins, I say unto thee, Walk; he only by his own power can forgive it, who by his own power can remove any judgement the effect of sinne. Ministers are said to remit sins, Iohn 21. 23. but that is becauseSee M. Cartw. Rejoynd. to the Marques…e of Worcest. p. 159, 160. they have a special Office to apply the promises of pardon to broken hearts. See Luk 24 47. Acts 13. 38. The Ministery of Reconciliation is committed to them as to the Embassadours of Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20.
An confessio auricularis sit necessaria ad remissionem peccatorum? Whether auricularSee M Hilders on Psal. 51. 3. L…ct. 32. M Man…on on Jam. 5. 15. M. Cartw. Rejo…nd. p. 162, 163, 164. confession be necessary to the remission of sins?
The Church of Rome aConcil. Trid. Sess. 14. c. 5.will have it necessary for every one to confesse unto a Priest all his deadly sins (And such indeed are all whatsoever without the mercy of God in Christ, Rom. 6. ult. Gal. 3. 10.) which by diligent examination he can finde out, together with the severall circumstances whereby they are aggravated.
Nothing will suffice to procure one that is baptized remission of sins without this Confession, either in re, or in voto, as Bellarmine bDe poen…tentia, lib. 3. c. 20. Ibid. c. 12.doth expound it. This is no small task which they impose upon the people of Christ, Quid molestius, quid onerosius? saith Bellarmine; therefore sure they had need to have good warrant for it, especially being so peremptory as to Anathematize all which shall refuse to subscribe unto them.
No general Councel untill that of Laterane under Innocent the third (about twelve hundred years after Christ) decreed a necessity of auricular confession. Erasmus ad Act. 19. affirmeth, that it was not ordained by God, nor yet practisedPapists speak much of confession of sins in all their Cat…chi…ns, which they urge as a matter of so great necessity, which they call a Sacrament, and make one of the essential parts of true repentance without which they say no man can receive absolution and remission of his sins, nor entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they ascribe all this not to the confession of sins that is made unto God, but that which is made in the ears of a Priest. Quis ad…ò unquam Catholicus tam fuit indoctus, ut ex hoc loco confessionis probaret Sacramentum. Maldonatus in Matth. 3. in the ancient Church after Christ.
The hinge of the Question is not concerning confession of sins in general unto a Minister, but of particular sins; neither whether we may, but whether we ought necessarily purpose a manifestation of every known mortal sin, and the grievous circumstances thereof, or otherwise stand hopelesse of all remission of our sins. B. Mort. Appeal, l 13. c. 12. S. 1.
There is no ground in Scripture for it, but much against it, in that the Scripture in many places sheweth it sufficient, except in some cases, to confesse unto God only. Besides such Confession as Papists require, viz. a particular enumeration of all mortal sins with their several aggravating circumstances, is not possible, and therfore not of divine Institution.
Cardinal Cajetane on Iam. 5. acknowledgeth, Non agi de Sacramentali confessione.
That confession Matth. 3. 6.
1. Was not made of every one apart, of every particular fault they had committed, and secretly in St Iohns ear.
2. The Greek word signifieth confession of known faults, and overthroweth the recital of secret sins which ear-confession requireth.
3. It is contrary to the nature of the meeting, which was publick.
4. To the nature of a Sacrament administred, which being publick required a publick confession of mans corruption.
5. This was but once, and before baptism, and not as the Papists have it here, and before the Lords Supper. Cartw. in loc.
The apprehension of the pardon of sin will sweeten every condition:
1. Sicknesse, Mat. 9. 2.The first Covenant required perfection, but promised no remission, therefore unregenerate men can never be saved till their Covenant be changed, Heb. 8. 8, 12.
2. Reproach, 2 Cor. 1. 12.
3. Imprisonment, Rom. 8. 34.
4. It will comfort one in the remainders of corruption, Rom. 8. 1.
5. Deadly dangers, The Angel of God (saith Paul) stood by me this night, whose I am, and whom I serve.
6. It will support us at the day of Judgement, Act. 3. 19.
Reasons. 1. Because sin in the guilt of it doth imbitter every condition, even death it self, 1 Cor. 15. 26. then one looks upon every crosse coming from God as an avenger, Ierem. 30. 14. and upon mercies as given him to fat him to destruction.
Secondly, This makes a man look upon every affliction as coming from a Fathers hand, when he can look on sinne as pardoned, Heb. 12. 9. there is an ira paterna.
Thirdly, Remission of sins gives him boldnesse at the throne of grace, Ephes. 3. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 21.
How to know whether our sins be pardoned:
1. Did you ever repent for sin, that is a necessary condition (though not a cause) of the forgivenesse of it, Act. 3. 19.
2. Examine your faith in Christ, Rom. 4. 3. Being justified by faith we have peace with God.
3. Remission and Sanctification go together, Heb. 9. 14.
4. There is a witnesse of bloud, 1 Iohn 5. 8. the Spirit of God gives testimony ofIustificati hominis in Christo longe alia conditio est, quam Adami fuit Fuit ibi quidem posse non peccare, sed in Christo consecuti sumus non posse peccare, quodae…si in vita hac mortali nondum absolutè perfectum sit, hic tamen certo aliquo modo inchoatum esse testatur Joannes Apostolus, 1 Joan. 3. 9. Abbot. in Thomps. Diatribam. our Justification as well as Sanctification.
Whether peccata remissa redeant?
Whom God justifieth, Rom. 8. 30. that is, forgiveth their sins, them he glorifieth.
The Remission of sins is perfect, it makes as if the sin had never been, it is called blotting out and throwing into the bottom of the Sea, taking of them away; there is much difference between taking away the guilt and power of sinne, the later is taken away by degrees and in part, but the guilt of sinne is quite discharged, He will remember them no more; the godly who have their sins fully remitted, do feel the sting and terrour of it in their consciences, as David Psal. 51. yet it is not because it is not forgiven, but to make us humble and taste of the bitternesse of sin, thou maist yet take as much comfort in the pardon of all thy offences as if they had never been acted by thee.
When God hath pardoned the fault all punishment is not necessarily taken away, but only punishment which is satisfactory to Gods justice. Remissa culpa remittitur See M. Hilders. on Psal. 51. 7.& poena, Isa. 53. 5. How are we healed, if notwithstanding Christs passion and satisfaction, we are to be tormented for our sins with most bitter torments?
God is fully reconciled by Christs satisfaction with the truly penitent, Rom. 5. 1, 10. The chastisements of Gods people come from a loving Father, and are medicinal not penal.
This overthrows, 1. Popish Indulgences, viz. relaxations from satisfactoryHeb. 12. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. pains in Purgatory flames after this life, which Rivet fitly termes Emulgences.
2. Prayers for the dead.
Where sins are forgiven, whether only in this world?
That Parable Matth. 18. is brought by some to prove that they are not only forgiven here; This man who was forgiven (say they) because he did not do as he should, therefore had he all his former debts laid to his charge: nothing is argumentative from a Parable, but what is from the scope and intention of it.
This is the time only wherein a sin may be forgiven; the foolish Virgins would have got oyl when it was too late, but then they ran up and down to no purpose; thus it is with all after death, then comes judgement, to day is the time of repentance, reconciliation, it is too late to cry out in hell, thou wilt be drunk, unclean no more.