Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
HAving thus farre ſpoken of Salvation from ſin it ſelf, to wit, in work of Sanctification, I might here proceed alſo to handle the doctrine of Remiſſion of ſins, and Juſtification of the ſinner by Jeſus Chriſt, which are alſo included in the words of the Text. For as Chriſt ſaves his people from their ſins; ſo alſo from the eternal wrath of God, which was due unto them for ſin. But of that I have heretofore ſpoken from another Text: And what I have already ſpoken upon this, was that, which I eſpecially intended when I firſt entred upon it. Yet it will not be amiſſe, for the better underſtanding of the whole work of mans Salvation, and for your better help againſt ſome miſtakes of theſe times, if I ſhew you in a few Propoſitions by way of Parallel, how the Lord carrieth on the whole work of mans Salvation in both parts joyntly from the firſt to the laſt. To which I ſhall annexe a few Corollaries.
God did at once, & that from eternity,Prop. 1. decree the whole, and perfect Salvation of all his Elect, both from ſin, and wrath by his Son Jeſus Chriſt. Rom. 8.29, 30. Epheſ. 1.4, 5, 6, 7.
Corol.Therefore we can no more argue our eternal Juſtifacation (becauſe it was eternally decreed) then our eternall ſanctification or glorification. And if there be any ſuch thing, as the actual Juſtification of the elect from eternity, how doth the Scripture (that every mouth may be ſtopped) make all the world to become guilty before God? Rom. 3.19. And to what end ſhould God give us promiſes of the pardon, and remiſſion of ſins? Promiſes are of good things to come, mThe Promiſes are outward Declarations of Gods will, concerning good to be received, and evill to be removed. Leigh on the Promiſes, p. 5. Promiſsio Dei eſt denunoratio futurorum bonorum nobis dandorum, &c. Polan. Syntag. l. 6. c. 31.not of ſuch as had an eternall Being. A Promiſe of what is already done or paſt is a contradiction in termes.
Prop. 2.When Chriſt undertook the work of the Salvation of his people, he did at once undertake both their Juſtification, and Sanctification, Heb. 10. to v. 19.
Prop. 3. I take Sanctification here in the ſenſe as our Divines uſually do, to wit, for the whole work of grace upon the ſoul after its firſt cloſing with Chriſt.Chriſt did make one intire purchaſe of his peoples Salvation, meriting both Sanctifying, and pardoning grace for ſinfull, and guilty men, who upon the purchaſe made had as much right to the one as to the other, and no more. Iſa. 53.5. Gal. 3.10. Tit. 2.14. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Hebr. 10. to v. 19.
Therefore we can no more conclude,Corol. that we were actually pardoned, and juſtified immediately upon the price that Chriſt paid, then that we were actually Sanctified.
Chriſt in his Goſpell-offer tendereth himſelf both for our Juſtification and Sanctification; Prop. 4.and commandeth us ſo to accept of him, requiring Faith, repentance, and ſincere obedience of all thoſe, that will be his: And he that will not imbrace him for Sanctification, ſhall not have him for Juſtification; he that is not willing to have his ſins mortified, ſhall not have them pardoned: Chriſt will be a whole Saviour, or no Saviour. Acts. 3.19. Repent, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, &c. Luke 13.3, 5.19.27.
Hence that offer Acts 3.19. of Remiſſion of ſins upon condition of repentance, and converſion to God, and all others in Scripture of the like nature, are not the leſſe, but the more free, becauſe conditionall. For the condition that is required is our priviledge. Our turning from God by ſin is our greateſt miſery; and our converſion, or turning to God in holineſſe, is our greateſt happineſſe, (as you have formerly heard) 2. what the Lord requireth of his people, he communicateth to them his grace for the performance of, according to the tenour of the New-Covenant, as in the next propoſition. So that the condition required doth but injoyne us to accept of a double bleſſing, and oblige us to minde our whole Salvation, to wit from ſin, as well as ſuffering; that God may be the more glorified in the riches of his grace.
They are therefore utterly miſtaken, yea they much eclipſe, and leſſen Goſpell grace, and turne moſt part of the Goſpell into Law, who call all conditionall promiſes the voice of the Law, and not of the Goſpell.
Suppoſe a King ſhould offer to a poor unworthy ſubject two moſt precious Jewels joyned together in a golden link, & tendring them to him freely, tels him withall, [Thou ſhalt not have the one without the other, but take them both together, as they are tendred.] Would it be wel for this poor man to ſay [The gift would be more free, & of greater bounty, if I might break that golden link, and take one of the jewels without the other? it is a diminiſhing of the freeneſſe of the gift, that you injoyne me to take them both.] This is plainely the caſe. The Lord hath in the Goſpell individually linked together both his pardoning, and Sanctifying grace; but fleſh and blood would fain break this golden link. We are naturally willing to have our ſins pardoned, that we may be freed from ſuffering: but nature is an enemy to Sanctifying grace.
Chriſt, as the efficient cauſe,5. Prop. pardons the ſins that are paſt, and Sanctifies the ſinner, when he doth actually convert, or bring him home from Satan to God; ſo that thoſe that come unto Chriſt, or believe in him, are then made actuall partakers, both of Iuſtifying▪ and Sanctifying grace: of Iuſtifying grace by the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe; of Sanctifying grace by the reall communication of his grace unto them: That as all the children of the firſt Adam are ſubject to ſin, and miſery, in the day of their generation, and birth; ſo all the children of the ſecond Adam (Jeſus Chriſt,) are delivered from a ſtate both of ſin, and condemnation, in the day of their regeneration, and new-birth.
Thus Paul, as Chriſts inſtrument, was ſent to the Gentiles, To open their eyes, to turn them from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they might receive forgiveneſſe of ſins, and inheritance among them which are ſanctified, Acts 26.18. See alſo 1 Cor. 6.11. And ſuch were ſome of you; but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus. Here the Apoſtle maketh a plain Antitheſis between what they then were, & what they had been formerly. Ye are waſhed, that is, cleanſed by the blood of Chriſt (which was ſignified by the water of your Baptiſme) both from the guilt, and ſtate of ſin, ye are ſanctified, ye are juſtified. Now make up the other part of the Antitheſis, and it muſt be this, Ye were unſanctified, ye were unjuſtified. And when was that? before they were converted, when they lived in ſuch ſins as are mentioned, ver. 9. and 10. they were committers of them, and guilty before God, excluded from an actuall title to the Kingdome of God. Such were ſome of you; but ye are waſhed, &c. Eph. 2. to ver. 10. Rom. 4.28. ch. 5.1. Act. 15.9.
Thoſe then,Corol. 1. that ſay Faith doth but manifeſt our Juſtification, may as well ſay it doth but manifeſt our Sanctification: for they were both propoſed, purchaſed, and wrought together.
Hence Sanctifying grace is the neceſſary qualification of a juſtified perſon, becauſe Chriſt doth not beſtow theſe ſaving mercies ſeverally, but jointly and individually; where his ſanctifying grace is not communicated, his righteouſneſſe is not imputed, and hereby (even by ſanctifying grace wrought in us) we are to try our actuall intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt.
Hence thoſe that are perplexed with the ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure, & pinched with the want of grace, are to come to Chriſt for help in both kinds. Thoſe that ſay they dare not believe, nor lay hold upon the Promiſes, for the remiſſion of ſins, becauſe they are of unhumbled, and impenitent hearts, muſt learn to come to Chriſt, that their hearts may be broken, and humbled: It is he that gives repentance unto Iſrael, as well as remiſſion of ſins.
The believing ſinner,Prop. 6. being juſtified from all the ſins that are paſt, and ſanctified inchoately: The pardon continueth good in Law, and the ſanctifying grace beſtowed, is conſerved by the ſame Jeſus.
Corol.Hence the Elect of God, though they many times fall to their ſore wounding, from the lively actings of grace, and under Gods juſt paternal diſpleaſure; yet they never fall from a ſtate of grace, and their heavenly Fathers affectionate love. Pſal 89 28. to 34. with Iſa. 55.3.
Prop. 7.Thoſe that are regenerate, being but partly renewed (although in every part) are ſubject to many infirmities, and many back-ſlidings nNovis peccatis, quantum in nobis eſt, abdicamus no à gratia Dei Ita fit ut quotidiana peccatorum remiſsione upus habeant Sancti omne; quia baec ſola in Dei familia nos retiret. Bulling. in 1 Joh. 1.7.: and the ſame Jeſus, who was the giver, and preſerver of the forementioned favours, multiplieth pardons, with renewing grace. Hoſ. 14.4. I will heale their back ſlidings, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. Thus in the ſalutation of both Peters Epiſtles, he prayeth, grace and peace be multiplied, 1 Pet. 1.2. 2 Pet. 1.2. And this renewing grace maketh the ſoul importunate for pardon of ſin, and power againſt ſin. Thus David, when he was reſtored from his great fall, prayed, Pſal. 51.9, 10, 11. Hide thy face from my ſins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me. Cast me not away from thy preſence, and take not thy holy ſpirit from me.
Hence the godly are to pray daily for pardon of ſin, and power againſt it.Corol. Thus Chriſt taught his Diſciples to pray, Forgive us our treſpaſſes— and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And here note, that as in the fourth Petition he teacheth them, and us daily to pray for our daily ſuſtenance, ſo in theſe Petitions (which are adjoyned with a conjunction copulative) he teacheth daily to pray for daily forgiveneſs, and for daily preſervation againſt tentations. And it were far better for us to be a day without our daily Bread, than without our daily Pardoning, ſupporting and renewing grace. It is true, the Lord hath promiſed both, and will perform what he hath promiſed: yet thus ſaith the Lord, I will for this be inquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them, Ezek. 36.37. And, becauſe the Lord hath thus promiſed, his people have the more incouragement, and ground to pray, Forgive us, &c.
At the hour of death,Prop. 8 the ſouls of the Saints are perfectly freed both from ſin and guilt, and ſo tranſlated to heaven. Heb. 12.23. Rev. 21.27.
Prop. 9. Gloria iſta inch…atur in hâc vita, poſt mortem corporis fit auctior, & tandem à reſurrectione perficitur. Alſt. Qu. Theo. c. 41.At the general Reſurrection, and great day of Judgement, the redeemed of the Lord ſhall be ſententially juſtified before Angels and Men, and perfectly ſanctified in the whole man, conſiſting of ſoul and body united, to become meet inſtruments for the everlaſting praiſes of God their Saviour. To whom be glory for ever. AMEN.
FINIS.
End of the text · George Hopkins, Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ (1655)