Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 35
SERMON XXXV.
2 Cor. 5.19.
—not imputing their trespasses to them.
DOct. One great branch or fruit of our Reconciliation with God, through Christ, is the pardon, or non-imputation of sin.
Here I shall shew,
1. The nature and worth of the priviledge.
2. The manner, how 'tis brought about.
3. That 'tis a branch or fruit of our Reconciliation with God.
1. The nature and worth of the priviledge; not imputing. The phrase is elsewhere used, Rom. 4.8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. So 2 Tim. 4.16. foreign All men forsook me; I pray God, it be not laid to their charge, or reckoned to their account. 'Tis a Metaphor taken from those who cast up their accounts; and so,
1. It supposeth that sin is a debt, Matth. 6.12. foreign, and forgive us our debts.
2. That God will one day call sinners to an account, and charge such and such debts upon them, Matth. 25.19. After a long time the Lord of those Servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. For a while men live jollily, and in great security, care for nothing, but a day of reckoning will come.
3. In this day of accounts God will not impute the trespasses of those who are reconciled to him by Christ, and have taken sanctuary at the grace of the new Covenant, to their Condemnation, nor use them as they deserve. Every one deserves Wrath and Eternal Death, and sin obligeth us thereunto; but God will not lay it to our charge. And so 'tis said, Psa. 32.2. Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. Now this is an act of great grace on Gods part, and of great priviledge and Blessedness to the Creature.
1. An act of great grace and favour on Gods part. (1.) Partly, because every one is become guilty before God, and obnoxious to the process of his Righteous Judgment, Rom. 3.19. foreign. And all the World may become guilty before God. There is sin enough to impute, and the reason of this non-imputation is not our Innocency, but Gods mercy. Among men imputations are often unjust and slanderous, as David complaineth, that they imputed, and laid things to his charge, that he was not guilty of, or never did; but we are all guilty. (2.) Partly, that he would not prosecute his right against us, as a revenging and just Judge, calling us to a strict account, and punishing us according to our demerits, which would have been our utter undoing, Psa. 130.3. If thou shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who could stand? Psa. 143.2. Enter not into Judgment▪ with thy Servant, for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified. There is not a man found which hath not faults and failings enough, and if God should proceed with him in his just severity, he would be utterly uncapable of any favour. (3.) Partly, because he found out the way how to recompense the wrong done by sin unto his Majesty, and sent his Son to make this recompense for us, who was made sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. Our iniquities were laid on him ▪ Isa. 53.4. And his Righteousness imputed to us, Rom. 4.11. (4.) And partly, that he did this out of his meer Love, which set a work all the causes, which concurred in the business of our Redemption, John 3.16. God so loved the World, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life. The external moving cause was only our misery; the internal moving cause was his own grace and mercy. And this love was not excited by any love on our parts, Rom. 3.24. Justified freely by his grace, that is, by his grace working of its own accord. (5.) And partly, that this negative, or non-imputation, is heightned by the positive imputation: There is a non-imputing of sin, and an acceptance of us as righteous in Christ; his merits are reckoned and adjudged to us, that is, we have the effect of his sufferings, as if we had suffered in person. Christ is become to us, the end of the Law for Righteousness Rom. 10.4.
2. 'Tis matter of great priviledge and Blessedness to the Creature, if so be the Lord will not impute our sins to us, and account them to our score. This will appear,
1. If we consider the evil we are freed from; guilt is an obligation to punishment, and pardon is the dissolving and loosening this obligation. Now the punishment of sin is exceeding great; what maketh Hell, and Damnation, but Not-forgiveness? Hell is not a meer Scar-crow, nor Heaven a May-game; 'tis eternity maketh every thing truly great; an everlasting exile and separation from the comfortable presence of the Lord, which is the poena damni, Matth. 25.41. Go ye cursed; and Luke 13.27. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity. They are shut out, and thrust out from the presence of the Lord. When God turned Adam out of Paradise, his case was very sad, but nothing comparable to this: God took care of him in his exile, and made coats of skins for him, God gave him a day of patience afterwards, promised the seed of the woman, intimated hopes of a better paradise. But instead of all comforts, how sad is it to be sent into an endless state of misery! which is the poena sensus, Mark 9 44. The worm that never dyeth, and the fire that shall never be quenched: The worm of Conscience, when we think of our folly, imprudence, disobedience to God. A man may run away from his Conscience now, by sleeping, running, riding, walking, working, drinking, distract his mind by a clutter of business; but then not a thought free, the Soul will be always thinking of slighted means, abused comforts, wasted time, and of the course wherein we have involved our selves; then our repentance will be fruitless; our sorrows now are curing, then tormenting, when under the Wrath of God. You coldly now entertain the offer of a pardon; then Oh for a little mitigation, a drop to cool your tongue!
2. Because of the good depending upon it, in this life, and the next.
(First,) In this life; Partly, because we are not fitted to serve God till sin be pardoned, Heb 9 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God. God pardoneth that he may further sanctify us, and fit us for his own use. The end of forgiveness is that God may have his own again, which was lost, and we might be ingaged to love him, and live to him. Forgiveness tends to holiness, as the means to the end; and so there is way made for our thankfulness, and love to our Redeemer, which is the predominant, ruling affection in the Kingdom of grace, and the main motive of obedience. Partly, because we cannot please God till sin be pardoned; for God will not accept our actual services till our guilt be removed, till pardoning grace cover our defects. Whence should we hope for acceptance? From the worth of our persons? That is none at all: From the integrity of the work? Alas, after grace received we are maimed in our principles, and operations; much more before, Heb. 11.6. Without faith no man can please God, Rom. 8.8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. Till we are adopted, reconciled, absolved, neither our persons, nor our actions can find acceptance with him: And partly, because we have no found comfort and rejoycing in our selves, till we obtain the pardon of our sins, and be in such an estate, that God will not impute our trespasses to us. For while sin remaineth unpardoned, and the sentence of the Law not reversed, the Soul is still in doubt or fear; if not it proceedeth from our security and forgetfulness, which will do us no good; for we do but put off the evil, rather than put it away, and deal as a Malefactor that keepeth himself drunk till he cometh to execution: In Scripture a pardon is made the solid ground of comfort, Isa. 4.1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. When Gods Wrath is pacified and appeased, then there is ground of comfort indeed, when God for Christ's sake hath forgiven and forgotten all our transgressions, and accepted a ransom for us. So Matth. 9.2. Son, be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee. Ay then misery is stopped at the fountain head, our great trouble is over; but till then all our comforts are soured by our fears. When the Sun by its bright beams appeareth it dispelleth mists and clouds.
2. In the next life we are not capable of injoying God, and being made happy for evermore in his love, till we be in such an estate, that God will not impute our trespasses to us. For till we escape wrath, we cannot injoy happiness, nor till his anger be pacified, can we have any interest in his love, Rom. 5.18. The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Now our right beginneth when sin is taken out of the way; and hereafter our impunity in Heaven is a means to our perfect injoying, pleasing, and glorifying of God. Acts 26.18. when we are made capable of the Blessed Inheritance.
2. The manner how this priviledge is brought about and applyed to us, by these steps.
1. The first stone in this building was laid in Gods Eternal decree and purpose, to reconcile sinners to himself by Christ, not imputing their trespasses to them. I cannot pass over this consideration, because 'tis of principal importance in this place, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. Then he was thinking of a sufficient sacrifice, ransom, and satisfaction for all the World of sinners, and that he would not deal with them according to the desert of their sin, but in mercy, and provided a sufficient remedy for the pardon of sin for all those who would or should accept of it in time. The Covenant of grace is founded upon the Covenant of redemption, Isa. 53.10, 11. And the plot and design for our reconciliation, pardon, adoption, was then laid according to the terms agreed upon between the Father and the Son, what the redeemer should do for the satisfying of his wrath, what sinners should do that they may have pardon in the method which God hath appointed, and so God should be actually reconciled to us, and sinners actually pardoned in time, when we submit to the terms.
2. The Second step towards this Blessed effect was, when Christ was actually exhibited in the flesh, and paid our ransom for us. For then he came to take away sin, 1 John 3.5. The Son of God was manifested to take away sin, and in him was no sin. So John 1.29. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the World: And 'tis said, Heb. 1.3. When he had by himself purged our sins, he sate down on the right hand of Majesty. And Heb. 10.14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever, them that are sanctified. There needed no more to be done by way of merit, and satisfaction, and sacrifice. We must carefully distinguish between impetration, and application; Christs acquiring, and our applying: As also between Gods purposing, and our injoying pardon, or actual interest in it: God purposed it from all eternity, but we are not actually reconciled and pardoned from all eternity, no more than we were actually created, sanctified, and glorified from all eternity. So Christ purchased it, when he died; and therefore the Apostle saith, we were reconciled by the death of his Son, Rom. 5.10. Then all was done on Christs part which was necessary to our reconciliation and pardon, by vertue of the satisfaction made by Christ, he was pleased to profess to us, free and easie Conditions of mercy in the Gospel, by which it might be actually applyed to us.
3. The next step was, when Christ rose from the dead; for then we had a visible evidence of the sufficiency of the ransom, sacrifice and satisfaction which he made for us. Therefore 'tis said, Rom. 5.25. That he died for our offences, and rose again for our justification. As he dyed for our release and pardon, and to make Expiation for our sins, so he rose again to convince the unbelieving World by that supream act of his power, that all was finished, which was necessary to our pardon and reconciliation with God. For Christs Resurrection was the acquittance of our Surety, Rom. 8.34 yea rather that is risen again. God hath received a sufficient ransom for sins, and all that believe in him shall find the benefit and comfort of it.
4. We are actually justified, pardoned, and reconciled, when we repent and believe. What ever thoughts, and purposes of grace God in Christ may have towards us from all Eternity, yet we are under the fruits of sin, till we become penitent Believers. For we must distinguish between Gods looking upon the Elect in the purposes of his grace, and in the sentence of his Law. In the purposes of his grace, so he loved the Elect with the love of good will; in the sentence of his law, so we were under wrath, Eph. 2.3. And John 3.18. Condemned already; and wrath remaineth on us, till believing and repenting. That these are conditions which only make us capable of pardon is evident.
1. Repentance, Acts 5 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince, and a Saviour, to give repentance, and remission of sins. Christ purchased pardon and absolution into his own hands, as King, and Judge, or Head of the renewed state, to be dispensed according to the Laws of his mediatorial Kingdom; and so he giveth both these together. So he grants pardon by his new Law, by which he requireth and giveth repentance and remission of sin; so he sent forth his Messengers into the World, Luke 24.47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations. Well then, none but the penitent are capable.
2. Faith, Acts. 10.43. To him gave all the Prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins. And Acts 13.38, 39 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And, by him all that believe are justified from all things▪ from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses. It belongeth to the power and office of our Lord Jesus to forgive sins: And it must be forgiven according to the terms of his New Covenant or Law; and that is, when men obediently receive his Doctrine, and by their Prayers offered in his name, do in a broken hearted manner sue out their pardon, and remission of their sins, they are justified and accepted with God, and freed from his wrath and punishment which attend sin in another World. Well then, none are actually and personally pardoned, but penitent Believers. This benefit is bestowed upon sinners, but sinners repenting and believing; a person abiding in his sins, and persisting in his Rebellion, cannot be made partaker of this priviledge; repentance qualifieth the subject, Faith immediately receiveth it, as having a special aptitude that way. That I may not nakedly assert this truth, but explain it for your edification, I shall suggest two things
1. As to the nature of these graces, that the reference of repentance is towards God, and faith doth especially respect the Mediator. So I find them distinguished, Acts 20.21. Repentance towards God, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. All Christianity is a coming to God by him▪ Heb. 7 25. Repentance towards God noteth a willingness to return to the duty, love, and service, which we owe to our Creator, from whence we have faln by our folly and sin. This must be, for Christ died not to reconcile God to our sins, or (which is all one) to pardon our sins, while we remain in them; but to bring us back again to the service, love and injoyment of God. Faith respects the Redeemer: for by dependance upon his merit, and the sufficiency of his sacrifice, and the power of his Spirit, we come to God▪ and by a thankful sense of his love, we are incouraged, and inabled to our duty. Well then, when in a broken hearted manner we confess our sins and own our Redeemer, and devote our selves to God, and resolve to walk in Christs prescribed way; then are sins pardoned, and we accepted with God.
2. This Faith and repentance is wrought in us, by the word, and mainly acted in prayer. (First,) 'Tis wrought in us by the word, wherein God is pleased to propound free and easie Conditions of pardon, and mercy▪ praying us to be reconciled, and to cast away the weapons of our Rebellion, and submit to the Law of grace For here in verses 18, 19, 20. He doth not only reveal the mystery, but beseecheth us to enter into Covenant with him, and to yield up our selves to his service. (Secondly,) Prayer, by which in the name of Christ we sue out this benefit. This is the means appointed, both for regenerate and unregenerate. The unregenerate, Acts 8.22. Repent therefore of thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart be forgiven thee. The regenerate, 1 John 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins. Believing, broken hearted prayer doth notably prevail; the publican had no other suit but, Lord be merciful to me a sinner, Luke 18.13. The Lord describeth the poor sinners that came to him for pardon▪ Jer. 31.9. They shall come with weeping and supplications.
5. We are sensibly pardoned, as well as actually, when the Lord giveth peace and joy in believing, and sheddeth abroad his love in our hearts by the Spirit. We must distinguish between the grant and the sense; sometimes a pardon may be granted, when we have not the sense and comfort of it. We may hold a precious Jewel with a trembling hand, as the waves roll after a storm when the wind is ceased, God may keep his people humble, as a Prince may grant a pardon to a condemned malefactor, but he will not have him know so much till he come even to the place of execution. Davids heart was to Absolom, yet he would not let him see his face. There are two Courts, the Court of Heaven, and the Court of Conscience. The pardon may be passed in the one, and not in the other; and a man may have peace with God, when he hath not peace of Conscience. To assure our hearts before him, and know our sincerity, 1 John 3.9. is a thing distinct from being sincere; and a man may be safe, though not comfortable. Every one that believeth cannot make the bold challenge of faith, and say, Who shall condemn? Rom 8.33.
6. The last step is when we have a compleat and full absolution of sin; that is, at the day of Judgment, Acts 3.19. Your sins shall be blotted out when days of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord; when the Judge, pro tribunali shall sententionally, and in the audience of all the World, pronounce our pardon. To make title to pardon by Law is comfortable, but then we shall have it from our Judges own mouth. Here we are continually subject to new guilt, and so to new sins, whereby arise new fears: So till our final absolution we are not fully perfect, not till the day of redemption, Eph. 4 30. When the evils of sin do fully cease, then is our Adoption full, Rom. 8.23. Then will our Regeneration be full, Matth. 19.28. Then all the effects of sin will cease. Death upon the body will be no interruption of pardon; we shall be fully acquitted, and never sin more.
3. That 'tis a branch and fruit of our reconciliation with God; the other is the gift of the Spirit, or all things that belong to the new nature, for God giveth sanctifying grace as the God of peace. But this also is a notable branch and fruit of reconciliation;
1. Because when God releaseth us from the punishment of sin, 'tis a sign his anger and wrath is appeased, and now over, Isa. 24.7. Fury is not in me. God hath been angry for a little moment, but when he pardoneth sin then he is pacified, for sin is the make-bate between us and God.
2. That which is the ground of reconciliation is the ground of pardon of sin, (Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;) viz. the price paid by the Mediator to his Fathers Justice; and therefore a principal part of our reconciliation and redemption is Remission of sins in Justification.
3. That which is the fruit of reconciliation is obtained and promoted by pardon of sin, and that is fellowship with God, and delightful Communion with him in a course of obedience and subjection to him, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Our general pardon at first is to put us into a state of new obedience, our particular pardon ingageth us to continue in a course of acceptable obedience, that we may maintain a holy Commerce with God, 1 John 1.7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
VSE 1. is to inform us, That all those that seek after reconciliation with God, or would take themselves to be reconciled to him, should be dealing with God about the pardon of sins, and suing out this priviledge, which is of such use in their Commerce with God.
But here ariseth a doubt; What need have those that are reconciled to God to beg pardon?
Ans. very great, Matth. 6 12. Our Lord hath taught us so, we pray for daily pardon, and daily grace: Against Temptations, as well as for daily bread. I prove it,
1. From the Condition of Gods people here in the World; we are not so fully sanctified here in the World, but there is some sin found in us; original sin remaineth with us to the last, and we have our actual slips. Paul complaineth of the body of death, Rom. 7.23. And the Apostle telleth us, 1 John 1.8. If we say, we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us. And verse 10th. If we say, that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. And Eccl. 7.20. There is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not: Either omitting good, or commiting evil: They do not love God with that purity and fervency, nor serve him with that liberty, delight, and reverence, that he hath required. 'Tis the happiness of the Church Triumphant, that they have have no sin; of the Church Militant, that their sin is forgiven. Sometimes we sin out of ignorance, sometimes out of imprudence and inconsideration, sometimes we are overtaken, and sometimes overborn; now these things must be heartily bewailed to God. While a ship is leaking water we must use the pump; and the room that is continually gathering soil must be daily swept; the stomach that is still breeding ill humours must have new physick. We still make work for pardoning mercy, and therefore for repentance and faith.
2. From the several things which we ask in asking a pardon.
1. For the grant, that God would accept of the satisfaction of Christ for our sins, and of us for his sake. Christ was to ask and sue out the fruits of his mediation, Psal. 2.8. And we are humbly to sue out our right: For notwithstanding the condescensions of his grace, God dealeth with us as a Sovereign, and doth require submission on our part, Jer. 3.13. Only acknowledge thine iniquities, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God. The debt is humbly to be acknowledged by the Creature, though God hath found out a means to pardon it.
2. We beg the continuance of a pardon; as in daily bread, though we have it by us, we beg the continuance and use of it; so in sanctification, we beg the continuance of sanctification, as well as the increase, because of the relicks of corruption; God may for our exercise make us feel the smart of old sins; as an old bruise, though it be healed, yet ever and anon we feel it upon change of weather; accusations of Conscience may return for sins already pardoned, Job 13.26. Thou writest bitter things againt me, and makest me possess the sins of my youth. Sins of youth may trouble a man that is reconciled to God, and hath obtained pardon of them. Gods Children may have their guilt raked out of its grave, and the appearance of it may be as frightful, as a Ghost, or one risen from the dead; the wounds of an healed Conscience may bleed afresh. Therefore we need beg as David, Psa. 25.6, 7. Remember thy mercies which have been of old; remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. When we are unthankful, unwatchful, or negligent, God may permit it for our humiliation.
3. The sense and manifestation. Few believers have assurance of their own sincerity; God may blot sins out of his book, when he doth not blot them but of our Consciences; God blotteth them out of the book of his remembrance, assoon as we repent and believe; but he bloteth them out of our Consciences, when the worm of Conscience is killed by the application of the blood of Christ through the Spirit, Heb. 10.22. Sprinkled from an evil Conscience. David beggeth the sense, when Nathan had told him of the grant, Psa. 51.12. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, Forgive it in our sense and feeling.
4. The increase of our sense. For it is not given out in such a degree, as to shut out all fear and doubt, 1 John 4.18. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath Torment, he that feareth, is not made perfect in love.
5. The effects of pardon, or freedom from those evils, which are the fruits of sin. We would have God to pardon us, as we pardon others, fully and intirely; forgive, and forget; that he would not execute upon us the temporal punishment, farther than is necessary for our good. Compare, 2 Kings 23.26. with Ezek. 33.12, 13, 14. Either he will not chastise us, or if he doth, he will sanctify our afflictions; when God remits the eternal punishment, yet he inflicteth temporal evil, not to compleat our justification, but to further our sanctification: If we knew only the sweetness of sin, and not the bitterness, we would not be so shy of it, Jer. 2.19. Know therefore and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, faith the Lord God of Hosts. Chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned, 1 Cor. 11, 32.
6. A renewed pardon for every renewed sin which we commit, 1 John 2.1. My little Children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And 1 John 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Assoon as we repent and believe, there is a general pardon, the state of the person is changed, he is made a child of God, 1 John 12. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to as many as believe in his name. John 13.10. He that is washed needeth not to wash save his feet: Because by going up and down in the World we contract new defilement. He is translated from a state of wrath to a state of grace; all sins past are remitted; God doth not pardon some, and leave others. Though Gods pardon be not antedated, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth, to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his Righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. And such an one hath free leave to sue out pardon for future sins, and so have a greater holdfast upon God; they have a present certain effectual remedy at hand for their pardon, that is, the merit of Christs blood, the Covenant of grace in which they have an interest, Christs Intercession and the Spirit to excite them to Faith and Repentance. Well then, let us fly to Christ for daily pardon; as under the Law there were daily sacrifices to be offered up, Numbers 28.3. God came to Adam in the cool of the day, Gen. 3.8. Reconciliation with man is to be sought speedily, Eph. 4.26. Let not the Sun go down on your wrath. The unclean person was to wash his clothes before the Evening. Our hearts should be humbled within us to think that God is displeased.
7. We pray for our pardon and acceptance with Christ at the last day of general Judgment, Luke 21.36. Watch and pray, that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man. Some effect of sin remaineth till then, as death on the Body. So that whil'st any penal evil introduced by sin remaineth, we pray that God will not repent of his mercy.
VSE 2. It sheweth how much we should prize pardon, as a special fruit of the Love of God and Christ, Rev 1.5. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood, 1 John 4.9, 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. If we be serious we will do so. Those that have felt any thing of the burden of sin will entertain the offer of pardon with great thankfulness. It is a priviledge welcome to distressed Consciences. What man in chains would not be glad of liberty? What debtor would not be discharged? How glad is an honest man to be out of debt? What guilty Malefactor would not be acquitted? Oh let it not seem a light thing in your eye! We have lost our Spiritual relish if it do. Oh prize a pardon, apprehend it as a great benefit, sweeter than the honey and honey comb.
VSE 3. It should engage us to love God, Luke 7.47. Her Sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.