Page images
PDF
EPUB

milters or omitters of fuch an action contrary to the Law: or that our all or omiffion was really a crime or fault.

3. The guilt of punishment, reatus fœnæ, vel ad pœnam, is the foundation of this charge, that we are by that Law which muft judge us, condemnable, or obliged to punishment (or it is our right) for the fins fo committed.

Now Chrift doth not by justifying us, or pardoning us, make us either to be fuch as really did not do the fall; or fuch as did not a culpable fa✪; no nor fuch as did not deferve damnation, or to whom it was not due by the firt Law alone; but to be fuch who are not now at all condemnable for it, becaufe the new Law which we must be judged by, doth abfolve us, by forgiving us; not making the fault no fault, nor caufing God to think that Chrift committed it, and not we; or to cftcem us to be fuch as never did commit it; but remitting the puwishment,and that dueneß of punishment and obligation to it, which did before refult from the fault and Law together; and fo the fault it felf is remitted as it is the foundation from whence that obligation to punishment refulteth,refpe&ively, but not fimply, nor as a fault in it self at all.

When I fay the punishment and the dueness of it to us, is forgiven, I mean not only the punishment of fenfe, but of Lefs alfo: nor only the outward part, which is executed by creaeures, but especially the first and great penalty, of Gods own difpleafure with the perfon, and the withdrawing of his Spirit and complacential love, and that which we may improperly call, bir obligation in Juftice to condemn the finner. There was upon God, before Chrifts fatisfaction and our title to him, that which we may fo call a legal or relative obligation on God to punish us, becaufe elfe he thould have done contrary to the due ends of Government, and fo contrary to the Wisdom and Juftice of a Governour, which is not confiftent with his perfection. But now the ends of Government are fo infwered and provided for, that there is no fuck obligation on God to punith us, but he may remit it without any difhonour at all; nay, with the bonear of his Wisdom and Justice. We are now non condemnandi, not condemnable, though we are finners. In Judgement we muft confefs the latter, and deny the former only.

Direch 58Våderstandwell wbiet fint Chrift just theth men fromys or fangivetheart bam}{and>bobathos ?əllifin's which confijf witb true faith and wê peut se fertråd converfione God in love, by faith in Chrift) and all that went before :Ɛ Bub We får givich nos mamina stute of impaníténcy lend unbelief, nor any neaks final impanseñcy and pubelief at all, or any other fins, when bafes arafinada ldscopo da hewithare common cordained forgivene before wen Bued, akikan absolune particular forgiveness of "fome prafent penaltieszowhich faveth no van from demnation, Markh 22-3 Acts 26.18 Rom. 8. 55. As 238,9** Mark 16.16 John 3.6, 186. 1 John 5. 11,12. Mark 4.19) Match 1822743d,udi boa pari lamig an do zaw facƆ 22 y Direct) 6.nderfound well theyrne dature of that Fausto a Regentance) which God-burn made the condition of our Fustifi) cation. This is fufficiently opened before & and the confuta tion of abhincloa Pils againti viej! would be tedious and unfavoury heterow on or amin an Dite&by Underfland wellth Covenant bad plamifé of fus fification; and maasure, your belief and exprætsvisigotów Promife. odguordÃ

[ocr errors]

Expect chofbther pardon, nor on any deferebuditions ce terms than the Promise doth contain: For it is Gods pardon jog act on infibumand and boir was bejacked brondemned: And we know nor buroby #r,q-whómuch will justifies svoƆ to slumo19 to blow ɔdilo daidT

́s Dine & Kerpulmkiesobo assuring grounds of faith befode Yourer yas,c'hen you look after pardong bar your fir midy be form, and powerful, and quieringctully confider Abe Following grounds.b od lladrises) abraq situaixa me et bas noilbhog

1. God's gracious Nature proclaimed erch 10 Mofès, & abuðdank in mercy, and forgiving iniqunys, Transgriomand fisito shoe, and upon those fegin that hepromifeth forgivinolo though bemillbýìna madankerlek bibe günego (that is) will neither fake the unrightaus to be lighteous, her forgivel them;adr Asquithembin judgment, whom his Coverainor fiat forgived vig fun be to wel awo udor gribros ades. The merciful Matuger alfo ofbour Reddiner day. 3. How deeply, Chrift harh engaged himself to thew.fndtSyysytben hon fluid auto and did.hu tolo Rr

wards

314

wards our falvation as he hath done, Hrb. 8, & 9.

4. That it is his very office and undertaking, which therefors he cannot poffibly neglect, Luke 19. 10. & 2. 11. John 4:42 Ads 5.31. & 13.23.

5.

That God the Father himself did give him to us, and appoint him to this faving office, John 3. 16, 18. A&s 5.31. & 13. 23. Yea God was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himfelf, not imputing to them their trefpaffis, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. And God made him fin (that is, a facrifice for fin) for us who knew no fin, that we might be made the righteufness of God in him (that is, might be the publick instances of Gods merciful Justice, as Chrift was of his penal Justice, and this by a righteousness given us by God himself, and purchased or merited for us by Chrift, 2 Cor. 5.21. yea and be renewed in holiness and righ teousness according to his Image.

6. That now it is become the very intereft of God, and of Jefus Chrift himself to juftifie us; as ever he would not lose either the glory of his grace, or the obedience and fuff.ing which he hath performed, 1/4.53.19. Rom. 5.12,13,18,19,&c. Rom. 4. throughout.

7. Confider the nearness of the Perfon of Christ, both to the Father and tous, Heb. 1, & 2, & 3.

8. Think of the perfection of his facrifice and merit, let out throughout the Epiftle to the Hebrews.

9. Think of the word of Promife or Covenant, which he hath made, and fealed and fworn, Heb. 6. 17, 18. Tutus 1. 2.

10. Think of the great feal of the Spirit, which is more than a Promife, even an earnest, which is a certain degree of poffeffion, and is an executive pardon (as after shall be declared) Rom. 8. 15, 16. Gal. 4. 6.

11. Remember that Gods own Juftice is now engaged for our Juftification, in these two refpecs conjun&: 1. Because of the fulness of the merits and fatisfaction of Chrift: 2. And because of his Veracity which muft fulfil his promife, and his governing or deftributive Justice, which muft judge men according to his own Law of Grace, and must give men that which he himself hath made their right, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. 1 Jobn 4.7, 5. 9, 10, 11, 12.

12. Lally, Think of the many millions now in Heaven,

of

of whom many were greater finners than you; and no one of them (fave Chrift) came thither by the way of innocency and legal Juftification: There are no Saints in Heaven that were not redeemed from the captivity of the Devil, and juftified by the way of pardoning grace, and were not once the heirs of death, John 3.3, 5. Rom. 3, & 4.

Upon these confiderations truft your felves confidently on the grace of Chrift, and take all your fins but as the advantages of his grace.

Dire&. 9. Remember that there is somewhat on your parts to be done, for the continuing as well as for the begin, ing of your fuftifications yea fomewhat more than for the beginning; even the faithful keeping of your baptifmal Covenant, in the effentials of it, and alf, that you have continual need of Christ, to continue your Juftification.

Many take Juftification to be one inftantani w act of God, which is never afterwards to be done : And so it is,if we mean only the first making of him rightecus who was unrighteous: (As the first making of the world, and not the continuance of it, is called Creation :) but this is but about the name: For the thing it felf, no doubt but that Covenant which first juttified us, doth continue to justifie us; and if the cause should ceafe, the ff would ceafe. And he that requireth no ačiual obe-`' dience, as the condition of our egun Juftification, doch require both the continuance of fairb, and actuel fincere obedience, as the condition of continuing, or not losing our Jaftification, (as Davenant, Bergius, Blank, &c. have well opened, and I have elsewhere proved at 1 rge.) As Matrimony giveth title to conjugal priviledges to the wife, but conjugal fidelity and performance of theffentials of the contract is neceffary to contine them. Therefore labour to keep up your faith, and to abide in Chrift, and he in you, and to bring forth fruit, lift ye be branches withered, and for the fire, John 15. 2, 3, 7. 8,9,

&c.

And upon the former mifapprehenfion, the fame per fons de look upon all the faith which they exercife through their lives, after the firft inftantarious act, as no jußifying faith at all (but only a faith of the fame kind) but to what use they hardly know. Yea they look upon Chrift himself, as if they

Rr 2

had

hadamoreule for him;; eitherĝas to continue, socio:]aflifea? › tiporto forgive their after-fins when as ow.continded faith must be exercised all our dives on the fame Chrifg-ande truk on the famd Covenant,« for the continuationband perfce Arba of that which was begun at the time of que Regqntra-d tion, Cel. 1. 23. 1 John 2 24Heb. 3. 6. 12411 §. Heb. 6. 11312d 201ɖlzzjázno zuviel, soy fusta on mobilvos shilin qu

[ocr errors]

Date 10.3 Understand why ouery fin, which you cammit, bath need of a renewed pardon in Chrift: and that be dab, not prevent your neceffity of such pardon. And therefore you will have conftano need of Christ, and must daily cometo God for pardon by bim samog only for the pardon of temporal chastisements, bus of even Lasting panishments. 3 laminad on to mustard bildistadt ænd Of the fenfe of this, I shall say more anom: the proof of in is in the forerecited Promifes; and in all thofe texts of Scripture which tellus that death is the wages of fin, and call us to ask pardon, and tell us on what terms it may be hadanan al Rainw ADirect.11. fet do not think that every fin dat b-put you into fate of condemnation again, er nullifie your former Juftification! For though the Law of nature mi so far still in force, as to make punishment by it your natural due's yet the Covenant of Grace is a cominually pardoning act, band according to its proper § termsy doth diffolue the forefaid obligation, and presently remit the panishment': cand as its moral a&ion is not interrupted; no more our justified state. Labosdinto muito ad od wup 28 Theresiano, condemnation so them that are in Obrift, Jefuis

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

D

Rom. 8, John 316, 18. 1 John 511,12,alf any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righ, teous, and he in the Propitiation for our fins, 1.John 2, 1, 2, If ❤aconfess our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fish and nd cluanfe us from all unrighteousness. If all need of pardon had been prevented by Chrift, what ufe were there of his advocation for our future forgiveness?d bas beduje apdomand

[ocr errors]

Direct. 12. Remember, that though unknown infirmities, and unavoidable ones, have an immediate pardon, because the Believer hath an habitual Faith and Repentanca; yet, great and kupzen fins must have actual Repentance, before the pardon will be plet nary on perfed, though the perfon is not in the mean time on NKregenerate nor unjustified perfon, ova

.wods ylbied 1. That

« PreviousContinue »