Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 6 · Section 8
Reaſons why pardon follows upon repentance.
1 Faith that looks on Chriſts blood ſhed for us, looks at the ſame time on its own ſin, as the cauſe of its ſhedding, and every believing ſinner is at the ſame time a repenting ſinner, Zach. 12.10. Thou ſayeſt thou haſt faith that apprehends pardon and applyes Chriſt, if thou doeſt this rightly, thy faith is a repenting and a mourning faith, Zach. 13.1. There's a Fountain ſet open in that day, in what day? not ſimply in that day when they ſee him, but when they ſee him and mourn for him.
2 God walks by his own rule: now Chriſt bids that upon a brothers repentance we ſhould forgive him, Luke 17.3, 4. So upon our repentance God will forgive, 2 Sam. 12.12, 13.
3 From the rule of juſtice, it ſtands not with juſtice for God to forgive ſin to a man that goes on in a purpoſe of ſin, therefore at the time God gives pardon he gives repentance.
4 The want of aſſurance of pardon doth greatly diſquiet, as well as the want of pardon. Suppoſe a perſon upon believing have his pardon, yet is it but dim, he cannot lightly be aſſured of it until he do repent, upon repentance God gives the aſſurance, and ſeals it to the conſcience, Zach. 2.3, 4. As the Lord takes away the filthy garments from Joſhua, ſo to Joſhua's conſcience heſpeaks, I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſs from thee. Preachers muſt take heed, they do not preach remiſſion to faith without repentance.
The ſumme of the Goſpel is, that whereas we are all dead men in Adam, remiſſion of ſins is tendered to all that do believe and repent, this is ſignified in baptiſme and the ſupper, which are ſignes on Gods part to confirme unto us his faithfulneſs in remiſſion, and ſignes on our parts to binde us to believe and repent.
We ſee in this petition, 1 who forgives, even God. He to whom a debt is own can onelyonly forgive it, Eſa. 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy ſins for my own Name ſake. Others may remit the wrongs that concern themſelves, or they may remit declaratively, they are to preach deliverance to captives, Eſa. 61.1. Luk. 4.18. The ſtate of a man unpardoned is like the ſtate of a man impriſoned, as the words, ſhutting and opening, and keyes, Matth. 16.19. import: now when perſons repent, preachers ſay to ſouls, as Nathan to David, 2 Sam. 12.7. The Lord hath put away thy ſin. The Lord hath done it, I onelyonly declare it. Chriſt ſpake to his Apoſtles, whoſe ſins ye remit, they are remitted, but firſt he ſaid, receive ye the Holy Ghoſt, for it is the Holy Ghoſt puts away ſin, and not you.
God onelyonly forgives authoritatively. Chriſt gave the power of teaching to his Diſciples, but kept the power of forgiveneſs to himſelf. Now for the ground upon which pardon of ſin is founded, it is the meer mercy of God, its for his own Name ſake, the graces that are in us are not cauſes that God forgives fin to us, but evidences thereof, for the onelyonly groundis mercy, which is ſeen,
1 In that he hath found out and appointed a way to ſatisfie his juſtice, even Chriſts ſatisfaction, Rom. 3.25. Eſa. 53.6.
2 In his acceptation of that ſatisfaction, and not requiring the debt of us, Eſa. 53.11.
3 In giving us to Chriſt, Joh. 6.37.
4 In giving us grace to receive Chriſt ſo tendered in the Goſpel, Joh. 1.12.
5 In that there was nothing in us to move him thereto but our miſery, ſo that as tender hearts ſhow mercy to perſons in miſery, ſo did God. What was there in Paul when he was going to Damaſcus to perſecute?
For Application, 1 begg forgiveneſs of ſins of God. Reprobate men may have other mercies, this onelyonly belongs to the elect, Eſa. 33.24. The people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity. Though Saints have prayed for removing judgements, yet have they ſpecially prayed for pardon of ſin, 2 Sam. 24.10.