The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. Of the perpetuall remiſſion of ſins in the Church of Chriſt.
DOCTRINE I. That there is in the Church a perpetuall diſpenſation of remiſsion of ſins, and that a perpetuall Miniſtry of the Word is ordained to that end.
WE have confeſſed above, that as ſoon as any perſon is ingrafted into Chriſt by the holy ſpirit, he does immediately obtain forgiveneſſe of all ſins committed, and partakes a new life from Chriſt the head, and ſo becomes a living member of the Church. But becauſe even ſuch as are the moſt holy in this militant Church, do nevertheleſſe ſin daily to the end of their lives, and conſequently have alwaies need of new pardon for their offences, as likewiſe of new repentance and new faith apprehending remiſſion of ſins through Chriſt; & becauſe faith & repentance uſe to be ſtirred up by the miniſtry of the Word and Sacraments; therefore we believe that remiſſion of ſins is perpetually diſpenſed in the Church, and that the whole Eccleſiaſticall miniſtry which is perpetually in the ſame, is ordained in reference thereunto.
DOCT. II. What we underſtand by the remiſsion of ſins.
WHereas there are three things to be conſidered in ſin; the tranſient action, the irregularity or deformity of that action, and the fault remaining upon the ſinner with the guilt of puniſhment coherent thereunto; we underſtand that ſin is then forgiven us, when not onelyonly the fault and irregularity is not imputed unto us, but alſo the puniſhment and condemnation due unto us for the ſame is pardoned, and we are acquitted from ſuch guilt and liableneſſe to juſtice; ſeeing we are not ſaid to forgive the offences of our brethren, but when we free them from the ſatisfaction and performance due from them; and that moſt certainly we are not commanded to ask any thing of God, but what God is willing to grant; and Chriſt hath cancell'd the obligation of our whole debt, having made perfect payment and ſatisfaction thereof in our behalfe.
DOCT. III. That the afflictions, wherewith the Saints are exerciſed after the pardon of their ſins, are not puniſhments or ſatisfactions for ſins paſt, but fatherly chaſtiſements to reſtrain from future.
BUt for that God uſeth to afflict and ſcourge his children in ſundry manners after forgiveneſſe of their ſins; we believe that he does it not to that end ſatisfaction, either in whole or in part, might be made thereby to his juſtice for ſins committed, ſince one full ſatisfaction of Chriſt imputed unto us is more then enough thereunto; but that by them (as by the ſtrokes of a father) which conduce much to the morification of ſin dwelling in us, we may be rendred more cautious hereafter, and ſuffer not our ſelves ſo eaſily to fall into ſin any more:T. 7. de pecc. mer. & rem. l z. c. 33. & 34. wherefore with St. Auſtin, we ſtyle them the combats of faith, and exerciſes of the Saints, but not the puniſhments of ſin, and accordingly teach them to be really ſo.
DOCT. IV. That properly ſins are forgiven by God, alone freely and through Chriſt the Mediatour.
Iſai. 43.25.WE believe alſo that ſins are properly for given by God alone, by by grace & through Chriſt the Mediatour: ſince it is he alone againſt whom properly ſins are committed either mediately or immediately, when we tranſgreſſe his Law; and it lies in the power of the Creditors only to ſhew kindneſſe to his debtors, and remit their debts. Whence alſo Chriſt, as manaLuke 23.34. prayed the Father in behalf of thoſe that crucified him, that he would forgive them and pardon their ſins; and moreover, for that the Iews ſaid,bLuke 5.21. Who can forgive ſins, but God alone? he confirmed the ſame partly by being ſilent, and partly by doing a miracle. Wherefore inaſmuch as Chriſt did forgive ſins by his own authority, we believe with the Fathers, that it is evidently inferr'd that he is the true God; ſeeing this cannot be done by any mere creature, unleſſe miniſterially (as they ſay) and in the name and by the authority of God: which we know to be given not to one only,Mat. 18. Iohn 20.23. but to all the Apoſtles equally and conſequently to all lawfull miniſters of the Goſpel.
DOCT. V. That Chriſt, being both God and man, doth indeed forgive ſins; but after a different manner, as he is God, and as he is man.
FRom whence flows this conſequence, which we confeſſe, that Chriſt, both God and man, together with the Father and the holy Ghoſt doth forgive ſins; but this he doth after a different manner, as God, and as man. For, as God, he doth it properly, by his own authority, truly and effectually; but as man, he doth, and did it in the fleſh, as a cooperatour with the Deity, by his humane will conſenting with the divine, and pronouncing the words, Thy ſins are forgiven thee. And the ſame is atteſted by the expoſition of Leo the firſt in anaEph. 10. cap. 4. Epiſtle to Flavianus in theſe words, Either form (viz. of God and man) acts in communion with the other, what is proper to it; namely, the word working that which is proper to the word, and the fleſh doing that which belongs to the flesh. To remit ſins was an action proper to the divine nature; but to ſay, Thy ſins are forgiven thee, was humane.
DOCT. VI. That remiſsion of ſins is offered in Chriſt alone, and obtained by the elect alone indued with faith.
BUt as in Chriſt only, the Mediatour and Redeemer, as head of the whole Church,aEph. 1.7. we have redemption through his bloud, the forgiveneſſe of ſins, ſo that there is none without him; ſo alſo we believe that the elect only, being indued with true repentance and true faith, and ingrafted into Chriſt by the holy Spirit, as members into their head, are made partakers of the ſame: wherefore, although forgiveneſſe of ſins be pronounced to all men by the Goſpel, yet they are never forgiven to reprobates, ſuch as are impenitent and unbelievers; but do alwayes remain upon them through their own fault and defect.
DOCT. VII. That to the believing elect all their ſinnes together are forgiven.
WE believe alſo, that as Chriſt by once offering himſelf ſatisfy'd, not for ſome, but all our ſins; ſo alſo, when we truly repent, forgiveneſſe, not of ſome only, but of all out ſins together is offered unto us by Chriſt, and through Chriſt in the Goſpel, communicated by the holy Spirit, and received by faith: ſeeing God hath declared by a parable that he doth forgive the whole debt and not a part thereof.
DOCT. VIII. That remiſsion of ſins is diſperſed only in the Church, received by faith alone, and that onelyonly in this life.
LAſtly, to conclude we believe, that as in Chriſt onelyonly remiſſion of ſins is to be found, ſo alſo is the ſame diſperſed in his Church alone; and that as it was purchas'd for usaMat. 18.23, &c. by the merits and bloud of Chriſt alone, ſo alſo it is received without our merits by a true faith only in Chriſt; and that as in this life only the Goſpel is preached, and pardon of ſins declared to thoſe that repent and believe, ſo alſo that we can only be made partakers of the ſame in this life: ſeeing after it there is no place for faith and repentance, and conſequently the Church cannot longer by any miniſtry advantage thoſe that are deceaſed towards the obtaining pardon for them; according to that of St. Cyprian to Demetrius, After departure from hence, there remains no place for repentance, no effect of ſatisfaction. Here life is either loſt or gained, here proviſion is made for eternall ſalvation by the worſhipping of God, and believing in his mercy.
DOCT. IX. The confirmation of the ſame doctrine from the order obſerved in the Creed.
WE expound the article of forgiveneſſe of ſins in the Creed according to theſe three heads; namely, firſt, that this article is placed next thoſe of the Church & the Communion of Saints, to the end we might underſtand that remiſſion of ſins is not diſpenſed and hath no place out of the Church Secondly, that it is placed after the confeſſion of our faith in God the Father, in the Son and in the holy Ghoſt, and after that faith whereby we believe the Church of Chriſt to be holy and to conſiſt of the ſociety and Communion of Saints, to the end we might declare that we do obtain remiſſion of our ſins continually, not by reaſon of our own merits, but through faith in God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoſt, and becauſe we are in the Church and have Communion with all Saints. And laſtly from this order of the articles of faith we believe & confeſſe that after pardon of ſins obtained in the Church Militant here, there remains nothing elſe to be expected by the dead, but the reſurrection of the body and life eternal.
DOCT. X. Errours.
WHerefore we condemn 1. that errour, by which ſome teach that the offence being forgiven, there yet remains the debt of puniſhment to he paid; and that this puniſhment, being no other then eternal death, is by repentance changed into temporal puniſhments, which are to be undergone either in this life or after death in Purgatory, unleſſe we be diſcharged from them by the help of Maſſes, Indulgences, and other ſuffrages. 2. We condemn alſo their blaſphemy, who ſeek remiſſion of ſins, and teach it to be ſought otherwhere then in Chriſt: Alſo ſuch as maintain it poſſible to be really apply'd and partaken by them, any other way then by a true faith, and by the holy Ghoſt. 3. We likewiſe condemn their ſacrilegious doctrine, who teach, that all ſins are not always forgiven to believers by God, but that ſome are oftentimes retained, which are further to be expiated by faſtings, almes, prayers and other works of ours, or by the oblations of others and ſacrifices of Prieſts.