CHAPTER III. The Profound Mysteries of Godliness in Sin's Forgiveness
such slight thoughts of sin, but because they judge of God by themselves, that he abhors sin no otherwise than man does, and so hope they may do well enough, measuring the infinite hatred that God hath to sin by their own: so on the other side, the sinner that is convinced of the dreadful evil of sin, is ready to dispair; Why? because he judges of God by himself; as if the mercy of God were no other than the mercy of man; not considering the mercy of God in pardoning sin, is such mercy as is to show his grace in the riches of it to all eternity. Well then, that man to whom such mercy is shewn must needs be very blessed.
CHAPTER III:
The Profound Mysteries of Godliness in Sin's Forgiveness [ 3] Thirdly, Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, because there is a glorious mystery of godliness in forgiving of sin; the work of God in forgiving a sinner hath abundance of glorious mysteries in it, the Argument stands thus; That man or woman for whom God shall work, such a work as hath multitude of glorious mysteries in it; that man or woman is blessed: But where ever sin is forgiven, God works for that soul such a strange work, the strangest that ever he did; a work that hath so many admirable mysteries in it, that in the opening of them will declare every way that this soul is blessed. And this is the business I would now do, to open the mysteries that are in the forgiveness of sin; and it is to this end, that as I might set before you the great work of God in pardoning sin, so also that you might have higher thoughts of it than ever you had before, for that's it I aim at, to raise up the thoughts of men to the right understanding of this great point of the Justification of a sinner, that so you may sanctify
God's Name, by having such thoughts of it as the thing itself calls for.
Of the first Mystery, it is by means of a Mediator.
1. Where sin is forgiven, it is by means of a Mediator between God and the Soul, it is through the Mediation of the Son of God, observe it, for there is no point in all Religion is of greater use to understand, than this point of the way of God in pardoning of sin, because of the many mysteries of God contained in it; I hope I shall make it appear it is no slight work and business: Mark then, when God pardons sin,
'tis always done through the mediation of the Son of God; God never pardons any sinner as a Prince does; when a Malefactor hath offended him, he comes and humbles himself, casts himself down at his feet, and cries, I pray Sir forgive me, and he says, Well, I will forgive you; God never forgives any sin thus; and yet it is thus with people when they come to God for pardon, most of them never think of any other way. Friends, there must be a great deal more than so: for whosoever hath his sins forgiven, it must be by the virtue of the mediation and intercession of the Son of God, he must stand up before the Father, and mediate for thy soul: if all the Angels in Heaven stood up to mediate, it would not be sufficient; but the Son of God alone must do it; 'tis as if a Malefactors condition was so, that the mediation of all the Nobles could not prevail with the King for a pardon, but there must be the mediation of the Prince himself to obtain it: So I say, poor soul, thou mayst think it a slight business, but know if ever thou art forgiven, it must be by the mediation of the Son of God, he must stand up to mediate for thee, and plead, Oh
Father let such a poor soul that hath been a Sabbath-breaker, a Liar, a Drunkard, an Unclean person, let his sins be forgiven, and let him not be damned, Father put in his Name for pardon: I shall not speak of it how Christ mediates, but that is and has been his work from all eternity, to mediate and make intercession for those he saw before in the eternal Council of God should live in such times; and whatever pardon of God is gotten, it is through him; and if thou poor man ever comest to be pardoned, know Christ hath been mediating to God the Father for thee; Oh Father, such a poor creature that dwells, it may be, in such a Cottage, or in such an obscure place, let his name be put in for forgiveness. And now, is not this a blessed thing, that thou poor creature shouldest have the Son of God to mediate for thy name to be put in for pardon! this of a truth is so, if there be any truth in
the Divinity of the Word, it is in this, That all the forgiveness and pardon any creature hath, it is by the mediation of the Son of God, and his heart was upon it from all eternity; surely here is abundance of grace in this one thing, take heed of abusing it; this is the first mystery, you must not look for pardon of sin in a natural way to cry for forgiveness, but you must go in the Name of the Mediator in this mystical way.
Of the second Mystery, It is through Christ's undertaking the Debt upon himself.
2. The second mystery is this, 'It is not Christ's entreating the Father will serve the turn, If ever any sin be forgiven, I beseech you take notice of it, for I speak in the Name of God, and therefore must take heed of speaking anything but the Truths of God unto you; if any sin be pardoned, it is not for the Prayer of Christ, that will not do it; But God the Father says, Son, if you would have the sins of poor souls forgiven, you must take the debt upon yourself, you must be their
Surety, and you must enter into Bonds to pay every farthing of what debt the sinners owe, you must pay all if you will undertake for them, so it is, for I will never come upon themselves for it, but on you:
Certainly there are these transactions between God the Father, and God the Son, from all eternity about the pardoning of any sin, however you commit a sin, and think not of it, and cry, Lord have mercy upon me, and so you have done with it, there's an end, you think that is all: But I say unto thee; if thy sin be pardoned, Christ must take the debt upon himself, and be thy Surety, 2 Cor. 5.21. He made him to be sin for us that knew no sin ; the way of pardon is by a translation of all our sins upon Christ, Christ himself God blessed forever, the Delight of the Father must be made sin for the soul that hath sinned; consider this, all the sins thou hast committed, if ever they be pardoned, they must be by virtue of the Covenant between God the Father and the Son: all thy sin must be transmitted on Christ, all thy oaths, drunkenness, and wickedness must be put upon him, and he must stand charged with them all: Oh you that are so
lavish in sin, and take such liberty to do wickedly; I say, if ever thy sin be pardoned, it must be laid on his shoulders, run on as fast as thou wilt, if ever thou beest saved, at the best, yet thy sin must be set on him, and charged upon his score. I remember that expression of Nathan to David, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord hath put away thy sin, the words are to be read out of the Original, The Lord hath made thy sin to pass over, to pass over from thee unto his Son, he hath laid them to his charge: This is the second mystery in point of Justification, thou a poor soul stands charged with thy sin, and art in danger of eternal damnation, rather than thou shouldest eternally perish, God is contented to pass over thy sins upon his own Son. Now they must needs be blessed that God does so much for, and know thou if ever thy sin be pardoned, God does do so much for thee.
Of the third Mystery, It is by Christ's Sufferings:
3. Where ever sin is pardoned, Christ stands charged not only with the sin, but to suffer as much punishment for thy sin as if thou wert eternally damned for them; it is not such a pardon, as that there is no punishment to be suffered, but whosoevers sins are pardoned, there is this agreement between God the Father and the Son, that his own
Son shall suffer as much punishment, as if thou shouldst suffer eternally the wrath of God for thy sin, there is this done for thee; and surely that man is a blessed man for whom Christ is content to suffer so much as thy sins comes to, or else thou must have been eternally damned, this Religion and the Gospel teaches us, that we can never come to be pardoned by any other way.
Of the fourth Mystery, Where Sin is pardoned, the Soul stands righteous before God.
4. There is this mystery in it; Where ever sin is pardoned, God does not only pass by sin and forgive it, but he makes the soul stand righteous before him; every justified man stands righteous before the Lord. A malefactor may come to a Prince, and be forgiven his fault,
and yet not accounted a righteous man, he may be looked upon as a wicked wretch still, though out of free grace the Prince forgive him:
But God never forgives the offense of any one sin, but that man is set righteous before the Lord, this is done by an Act of Justification; I speak not of Sanctification: A Prince may forgive a Traitor, but the Law is not satisfied; but God when he forgives sin, takes such a course as that the offense is not only forgiven, but the Law comes to be satisfied, and the soul stands before God as a righteous person; and surely he that is righteous must needs be blessed.
Of the fifth Mystery, This Righteousness is in another.
5. This Righteousness is in another, and it is a higher righteousness than ever that of Adam 's was in Innocency; this is a great mystery, that a soul should stand righteous before the Lord, and yet in the righteousness of another, not of his own, Phil. 3.8, 9, 10.
St. Paul counted his own righteousness as dung that he might be found in him, that is in Christ, Not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God that comes in by faith ; and so Rom. 5. latter end, Christ is said to be our righteousness, ver. 19. As by the disobedience of one many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous ; 'tis a righteousness transferred upon us beyond our own: Mark, in forgiveness, as our sins comes to be transferred and put upon Christ, so the righteousness of Christ is transferred upon a justified soul, and that soul comes to be righteous before God; surely then, blessed is that man that comes to have the shining garments of Christ's righteousness upon him: Ahasuerus could not think of a better way than this to honor Mordica more, than to clothe him with the Kings Royal
Rayment, and proclaim before him, This shall be done to the man whom the King delights to honor ; surely that man or woman is honor'd indeed, that God shall clothe with the shining Robes of the Righteousness of his own Son; thou that wast clothed with the filthy rags of thy own sin and wickedness, and hadst no other garments to
stand in, in the presence of God; now he puts on thee the Righteousness of his own Son, and so thy iniquity comes to be covered: Oh that is a glorious Garment! all the Garments in the world bedest with Diamonds are but filthy Garments in comparison of the Garments of Christ's Righteousness, that is put upon a man when his sins are forgiven.
Of the sixth Mystery, A near Union is made between Christ and the Soul.
6. When God comes to forgive sin, the way God takes is this, he brings a man into such a near Union with his own Son as makes thee to be one with Him ; yea, so to be one with Christ as no two things in the world are join'd so together, as thou and Christ art; the Soul God pardons, he does it this way, 'tis not thou hast sin'd and I will pardon thee, 'tis no such slight business, as I may say, in a sinners pardon;
No, for when God forgives thee, he makes thee one with his own Son, so as no two things in the world are so near together as thou and Christ; therefore the Scripture expresses it by the Union of Branch and Root, Body and Members; that is a near Union of bones and flesh in one body: so also the Union between Man and Wife is a near
Union, but the Union between Christ and a justified Soul is nearer than any of these: there is one expression in Scripture that Christ useth, Joh. 14.20. You in me, and I in you ; there are no two things so nearly united, though the members be in the body, the body is not in the members; so the branch, though it be in the root, the root cannot be in the branch; but the Union between Christ and us, Is Christ in us, and we in him; He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit: It is a spiritual Union, and the Union of spiritual things is the nearest that can be: Now, Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, because by this means, God brings the Soul and Christ to such a near Union, that all natural Unions are but dark shadows of it.
Of the seventh Mystery, It is by Faith, yet boasting excluded.
7. It must be by Faith, and that is the most glorious work that ever God enabled a poor creature to do, yet boasting must be excluded, the Scripture excludes boasting from both, not only from the Law of works, but the Law of faith; but you may say, How can both be excluded both the law of works and the law of faith? for works they may be excluded say some, because works are our own, but faith is the gift of God; God enables us to believe, therefore there can be no boasting of faith because it is the gift of God, but works are our own; this answer is but a fiction, for if we be enabled for the performance of any work, that is of God too; the work of any grace is the gift of God as really and truly as faith is the gift of God, all gracious works are performed by the grace and gift of God. Adam could not do what he did in Innocency, 〈◊〉 by the gift of God; and therefore to say boasting is excluded by faith, because faith is the gift of God, will not serve the turn; therefore the mystery of Justification is a great mystery, that notwithstanding faith is such a glorious work, as it is one of the gloriousest works that ever any creature did, yet that this should be excluded, by this I cannot but be persuaded, that there is more in the work of Faith than in anything Adam ever had; and that faith the power of believing was not in Adam in the state of Innocency: Why? Because it is now made such a grace as excludes all kind of boasting: For were it but the stirring up of any power we had in Adam, it would no more exclude boasting, than if God stir'd up any other grace; as Love, Hope, Fear, and the like: But that it excludes boasting, this may be the most satisfactory answer; Works they could not exclude boasting? Why, though they were from the grace and gift of God, yet they belonged to man's nature; for if God will make a rational creature, he must give it those perfections that are due to that nature: Now the Image of God was in some regard due to such a nature. But now, God when he comes to give faith, he gives a higher thing than ever was due to the nature of man; hence there is a greater mystery in faith than in any other grace; and therefore it is a great mystery that God should justify a man by faith, and yet this excludes boasting more than any other thing.
I, but the Scripture says, God imputes faith for righteousness; and when God enables us to believe, Is it not our own?
Yea, when we have it, it is our own; and when we are justified, it is imputed to us for righteousness: but mark what I shall say, it will be useful for the understanding that Text in Rom. 4.22. Where, it says, faith was imputed to him for righteousness ; ye must not understand it thus, that is, that God did through the grace of Christ now accept of Abraham 's faith as his righteousness, whereby he should stand to be justified by it in the sight of God; he did not thus accept of faith for righteousness; no, not through the mediation of Christ, nor by virtue of any Covenant made by God with Christ: God did never make any Covenant with Christ, that whereas man did owe obedience to all the Law, and that should have been his righteousness had he continued in it; but man now being unable to perform it, that God would be now so favorable to him as that he would accept of faith for righteousness, that is not the meaning of it, for the word in the Original translated for righteousness, it is thus, it was imputed unto righteousness, it is the same word used in Rom.
10.10. With the heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation: Now Confession with the mouth is not made Salvation itself, but unto Salvation; so faith is not the righteousness itself, but unto righteousness, that is, by faith we come to get righteousness: But why says the Scripture God imputed it unto righteousness ; I take it thus, that forasmuch as faith is so glorious a Principle (infused of God) above anything of our own,
God is pleased to account of it as if it were our own, and so imputes it unto righteousness; the truth is, it is not our own; no not so our own as other graces are our own: but God in point of Justification is pleased to impute it as our own, that we may come to have righteousness by it; as if it were our own: Now this is a great mystery, that God in the work of pardon of sin, should do it by the grace of faith, and that this excludes all boasting, and yet righteousness imputed to it as if it were our own. Hence by the way, let us take heed of the Opinion of those that say, faith itself is imputed for righteousness, and that God through Christ accepts of faith as the
matter of our righteousness: The Papists say we are justified by works, and that God is pleased through Christ to accept not of Faith only, but of Humility, Fear, Love, Repentance, Joy, &c. though they be imperfect, yet he is pleased to accept of these for our righteousness; says the other opinion, faith is our righteousness, though God might require exact obedience to the whole Law, yet he is pleased to accept of faith; both these Opinions are besides the truth, and therefore there is the same danger in the one as in the other, and therefore both to avoided.
Of the eight Mystery, God is infinitely Just, and yet infinitely Merciful.
8. The eighth particular is this, that shows pardon of sin is a great mystery, because where-ever God pardons sin, he is infinitely just, and yet infinitely merciful ; there is an admirable reconciliation, between God's Justice and Mercy, which shows it to be a great mystery: There are three great mysteries in Religion, 1. The great mystery of the Trinity, that there should be divers Persons and yet but one God. The second is, that in the Person of Christ there should be two Natures and yet but one Person. And then the third is, the reconciliation of the mercy and justice of God in the forgiveness of a sinner. Many people when they seek for pardon of sin, they only think of God's infinite grace and mercy, but not of his justice: But certainly, whoever he be that comes to be pardoned, God shows himself infinitely just as well as merciful; that he is merciful, that is clear to everyone: But how does it appear he is so infinitely just? for that there is a clear Text for it, Rom. 3.26. To declare at this time his righteousness that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus ; so that God in the justifying of him that believes in Christ is just as well as merciful.
Now then poor sinner, lay these together, that God should work so strangely in bringing about the pardon of thy sin in such a mysterious way as this is; certainly it does demonstrate that thou art
a blessed man: I beseech you think of what hath been said, and lay it in your breasts; go away with this upon your spirits, Lord, I indeed heard much of the evil of sin, and that it was a greater evil than ever I thought it to be, and now I have begun to hear of the mighty work of God in pardon of sin, I hope I shall forever retain higher thoughts of it than before. Brethren, there is nothing in the world that people have slighter thoughts of, than of the pardon and forgiveness of sin, they think it a slight matter. But if there were any work that ever took up the heart of God from all eternity, and shows God to be a God, it is this about the pardon of sin; this is a great doctrine, the doctrine of the work of God in the justification of a sinner, 'tis one of the greatest
Doctrines in Divinity, and therefore that you might sanctify the Name of God in it, and give him that glory that is due in this great work, it is needful to search, that we may find out what is the work of God in it.
Of the ninth Mystery, When God forgives sin, for the present, he forgives all to come.
9. The ninth mystery is this, and this may seem one of the strangest of all, When God forgives a sinner any one sin for the present, he likewise forgives him all the sins that ever he shall commit afterward, this is a mighty mystery; for God when he takes a poor soul and forgives him his sin, he does not only forgive him his present and past sins, but lays in a pardon for all the sins that ever shall be committed by him afterwards; this is a way of pardoning sin proper to God alone; there is no creature pardons the offense one of another, so as God pardons here; therefore the Prophet cries out, Micah 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage? Who is a God like to thee; who in all the world can pardon sin as God doth? No Father pardons the sin of a Child, no Prince the sin of a Subject as God doth: Now, because this is a point of admirable comfort to all the Saints of God, 'tis fit it be opened and made out, that when God pardons sin at first, he gives in a pardon
for all they shall commit afterwards; I manifest it thus, in Rom. 8.1. the Apostle says, There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus: from whence I argue, Except God did pardon whatsoever sins should be committed when he justifies a sinner, then at any time when a justified person sins, until he renew an act of faith for pardon, there must be condemnation to him; for whosoever is in such an estate as hath any sin unpardoned, for that instant he is in the state of condemnation: But there is no instant of time, when it can be said of any justified person, that he is in the state of condemnation; I say no instant of time, for though a justified person may fall into sin after he is justified, yet at that instant when he falls into that sin, there is by God applied a pardon, that was laid in before, although an act of faith be not renewed in regard of that particular sin; that is the point I would make good, though it be true, there is required as our duty an act of faith to lay hold on our pardon, yea also it is required in respect of comfort too; for we cannot have comfort of the pardon of a new sin committed, except there be a renewal of an act of faith: But yet this renewal of an act of faith, though it be necessary, because commanded; and for our comfort, yet no absolute necessity to free us from condemnation; but being once justified by Christ, there is a pardon laid up; so that upon any act of sin newly committed, this pardon is applied by God himself, though we be not able by the renewal of a present act of faith, to sue out pardon anew unto ourselves. Nay the truth is, if this were not so, there could be no instant of time, wherein a believer was not in the state of condemnation; for there is no instant of time wherein a believer doth not some way or other sin against God: Further, it is apparent and undeniable, that there is not a necessity of renewing an act of faith upon every sin committed for the pardon of it, this
Argument cannot be denied, because otherwise, there must be a necessity of renewing an act of faith after the last act a believer doth; for in the last action a believer doth in this world, there is some sin it:
Now if there be some sin in the last act of all, then there cannot be of necessity required another act, for the applying of the pardon of that sin a believer did do in the very last act he did in this world: those that hold a believer cannot finally fall away, yet say, he may totally;
many hold that if once a man be justified, he can never go to Hell; but yet this they hold, that he may so sin that he may be brought into a state of condemnation; he may be brought into such a state,, that if he should die at that present he should perish; but say they, God doth take care that he shall not die, till there be a renewing of an act of faith for pardon: I answer, there is nothing in Scripture to prove, there is not any instant of time wherein a believer may not die; and yet if he do die he must then perish, because an act of faith was not renewed; true say they further, that all sins bring not into the state of condemnation; there may be pardon of course for sins of infirmity, but other sins that wast a man's Conscience, there a believer is brought into the state of condemnation, till there be a new act of faith renewed for pardon. I answer, If any one sin, bring a believer, into the state of condemnation after Conversion, where shall we put the limits; as to say, if you go but thus far, you are not in a state of condemnation, but if you go a letter further you are; God puts no such limits in Scripture, but all sin in its own nature brings into a state of condemnation, and yet no sin brings a believer into the state of condemnation; therefore this is a great mystery of God in the pardoning of sin, when God pardons the sin of a believer, he does not only pardon what he hath done at present, but for what he shall do he lays in a pardon, and Christ hath purchasith it for us, for all sins yet to come: 'tis like a Son running into arrears, his Father comes and pays his debts; but because he sees his Son will run further into arrears, he lays in so much as will pay all for time to come, that if he run into arrears he shall not be cast into Prison: just so it is with God,
God pardons all our sins at first, and then he lays up a Pardon, that if we run into arrears we shall not lie in Prison to be condemned and suffer for them. This is a great mystery, and they that teach otherwise rob the people of God of abundance of comfort that otherwise they might have, were this Truth made clearly known unto them.
Is not this Doctrine a Doctrine of Liberty, If they have knowledge that God when he pardons for what sins are past, and lays in a Pardon for what sins are yet to come; May not People hence take
liberty to sin? May not they say, that though they do sin, yet there is a Pardon laid in before hand for them?
Here thou speakest as one that understands not the grace of the Gospel that thus objectest, it is another manner of thing than thou art aware of; there is not that malignity in the grace of the Gospel to cause such effects in the hearts of believers. Luther compares sin to Lime, and the law to Water, that makes the Lime hotter; but the grace of the Gospel says he is like to Oil, and Oil will quench Lime, but Water will not; so the Oil of the Gospel will quench the sins of men; and certainly the more there is of the grace of God revealed in the Gospel, the more the lusts remaining in the heart of a believer come to be quenched: this is an evident Argument of the great difference between the mercy of God revealed in the Gospel, and received by faith; and that which is received only in a natural way: you that are unbelievers, and receives the Gospel only in a natural way, your lusts may be nourished, and you may take liberty for wickedness: But if once you come to receive the mercy of God in and through Christ Jesus, then that mercy will be the greatest opposer of thy lusts and sin, as anything can be in the world; certainly, thou knowest not the work of God in Christ forgiving sin, that reason'st thus; I shall show you plainly, The knowledge of the great work of the Propitiation by Christ, brings the soul into a hatred of all sin, and is no nourisher of it, 1 Joh. 1.9. the Apostle speaks of the wonderful grace of God in Christ to us; If we confess our sins, he is not only ready to forgive, but to cleanse us from them: And chap. 2.1. My little children I write unto you that you sin not, that you take not liberty in any sin; they might say, you write these things that we sin not: but we have sinful natures, and so shall certainly fall into sin for all this:
Well, for the comfort of Saints, If any man sin, says he, we have an Advocate with the Father ; Jesus Christ is presently an Advocate though you sin through ignorance and negligence, and do not renew present acts of faith to sue out a pardon: yet says the Holy
Ghost, Jesus Christ is an Advocate with the Father ; the Lord Christ stands before the Father pleading, that no evil may befall you for your sin; this is the admirable privilege of the Saints of God, a most
blessed privilege they have by the Covenant of Grace; that when they commit a sin, and may be take no notice, and may be Conscience is so benumbed at present, that they go not to God to seek a pardon; but may be lie in sin a long time together; yet says the Text, you have one that pleads your cause: and it is from hence, that God's wrath comes not out against you; because you have an Advocate with the Father: Well says the 2d verse. And he is the Propitiation not only for our sins, but the sins of the whole world ; he means believers: Now in the third verse. says he, Hereby we know that we know him, If we keep his Commandments ; as if he had said, If we do not take heed of sin and keep his Commandments; we know not this grace of pardon, if any that here us Ministers teach this Doctrine, and say they know him, and have no care to keep God's Commandments, 'tis quite contrary to what the Apostle says, he says, Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments ; this knowing of him, as it is a means to keep his Commandments; so 'tis an argument we do know him when we do keep his Commandments: verse. 4. He that says I know him, that is; Christ to be a Propitiation and an Advocate, and keeps not his Commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him: That man that reasons thus, and says, Well, I believe in Jesus Christ, and I know my sins are pardoned through faith in him; yea, and all the sins that shall be committed, a pardon is laid in for them, and I shall never enter into condemnation: Dost thou say so, and yet keep'st not God's Commandments? Hast not thou the Conscience, and the rather upon the knowledge of this, to keep God's
Commandments? the Holy Ghost says, Thou art a liar, and there is no truth in thee ; and thou wert never acquainted with this mystery of godliness; when it is understood in a natural way, men may abuse it; you may know what I mean by a natural way, and God knows you have need of Information; by a natural way I mean by the light of Natural Reason, and all other helps of learning on this side the work of the Holy Ghost: but when men understand it by a powerful work of the Holy Ghost, they that know it thus, this knowledge will make them more careful and conscionable to keep God's Commandments; and if any man say he knows it thus, and does not keep God's
Commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Further, If a man should reason thus; Well, if there be such a mystery in pardon of sin, and that God when he pardons sin at first, lays in a pardon for all sin afterward, this will make way for more sin:
Take notice here, of the infinite perverseness of the heart of man; suppose it were not thus, but the contrary were true, that God indeed pardoned the sins of a believer coming to him; but if ever he sin after pardon, let him look to it, he shall then be under the sentence of death and condemnation; upon this a man's heart would not be more engaged to seek after Christ, but would reason thus; Well, I may labor and take pains, and suffer much to get a comfortable assurance of the pardon of sin; but what of all this, the next day, the next hour I may sin again, and be in the same case I was before, so that which way soever things go, men will reason against God for their lusts; I shall put it to you, or to any heart that may be supposed to have attended on God, yea, and hath received grace; Which of these
Doctrines engage the heart most for God? either this Doctrine, or the other; whether that you believing that God will pardon sin; yet if you fall into any new sin, you are under a sentence of condemnation; or thus, that God is so gracious, that he not only pardons sin for present, but for your encouragement he so pardons it, that though you through infirmity fall again into sin, he will not out off his kindness from you; Which of these is the greater encouragement? certainly to a slavish spirit the one may be more than the other: But to a spirit that may be supposed to have any ingenuity in it, the latter words must needs far more engage him to walk with God all his days.
What, is God's grace so free? that he should have such pity on poor creatures, not only at their first coming in, and casting themselves on Christ, as to pardon all their sins, though they be never so many and great? But also such a Covenant upon my coming in, that God will discharge all sins that shall be committed for time to come, though I be ready to fall into sin daily, yet I shall not come into condemnation? O what will so infinitely engage a gracious and ingenious spirit as this does! surely nothing like this. Now if this be true, that man that is forgiven, is thus forgiven; not only for time past, but also for time to come: Then blessed is the man whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose iniquities are pardoned.
Of the tenth Mystery, God pardons a sinner, not because he is; but that he might be changed.
10. The tenth Mystery is this, (for I would endeavor to show you what a mighty work Pardon of Sin is, and raise up your hearts to have higher thoughts of it than ever you had before) God does not pardon because a sinner hath his heart and nature changed, but that he might be changed. And thus the pardons of God differ from all other pardons; a Prince pardons a Malefactor, or a Father a Child: but upon what terms? a Prince expects his Subject should be changed as far as he can discern; and a Father, (though never so tender) will not pardon a Child, unless he come in and manifest a change of his disobedient spirit, and then he pardons. God doth not pardon because we are changed; but that we might be changed: his Pardon comes first, Rom. 4.5. a very strange place for this, and may encourage any poor soul that is troubled for sin, to come in and lay hold upon God's mercy in Christ; But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted unto him for righteousness. Mark, when God comes to justify a sinner, he looks upon him as ungodly; he stays not till the sinner be made godly and then justifies him, as a Prince stays till a Malefactors heart be changed, and he become a loyal subject, and then pardons him: God is not so in justifying souls, he justifies the ungodly ; one that is ungodly coming to him, he justifies. This is a mighty Argument, I name it for this end; because I would teach people, that notwithstanding any sin or guilt that lies upon their spirits, yet they have a liberty to come in and lay hold upon Christ for Justification; do not say, I am ungodly, I am a great sinner, and have a vile heart, and I find not my nature changed; and therefore, How dare I lay hold upon God's grace for mercy and pardon? yea, thou mayest because God justifies the ungodly ; though thy nature be not changed and sanctified, as thou sayest: take it thus, Thou must lay hold of God's grace for Justification that thou mayest be sanctified; not only pardoned, but sanctified: Come but thus with thy heart affected to close with the grace of God, that thou mayest be sanctified as well as
pardoned; though for the present thou feelest not any Sanctification, yet thou mayest have right to lay hold upon Christ as well as any one whatsoever.
Will not this be presumption for a sinner thus to lay hold on Christ?
If faith were merely a persuasion that Christ died for them, or as many men think; thus, (Well, God is merciful, and he will pardon me, Christ having died;) there may be presumption in laying hold on Christ: But now as Justification is a great mystery, so is faith; and faith is a mighty work of the Spirit of God in the soul, that causes the soul to roll and cast itself on the free grace of God in Christ, and venture itself and all its hopes for good and happiness on him; there is not only a coming to Christ for pardon, but for grace, holiness, light, good and happiness here, and for whatever it doth expect hereafter; it looks for all from him. Now when there is such a work of God upon the soul, in casting itself on God in Christ, though there be nothing at present but ungodliness in him appearing, yet such a one may and hath right to come unto God for pardon; for God justifies the ungodly, Rom. 5.6. Christ died for the ungodly ; and verse. 10. If when we were Enemies, we were reconciled by the death of his Son ; when we were Enemies, and had base hearts full of enmity against God, yet then Christ died to reconcile us unto God: thou mayest then venture to come to him for pardon, and it is no presumption, though thou seest no change in thyself, yet he pardons that thou mayest be changed; now here's a glorious work of God in pardoning a sinner, that God should pardon, justify, and reconcile us when we were
Enemies to him; here is a glorious work of God for a sinner to be justified and reconciled, and yet when the sinner was an Enemy unto him.
Of the eleventh Mystery, God himself purchases the Pardon.
11. When God pardons a sinner, he himself is fain to purchase the pardon, and this is different from the manner of pardons among
men: A Prince pardons a malefactor, but the Prince himself doth not purchase the pardon; and if one have offended you, you pardon the offender: but you that are offended do not purchase a pardon for the offender; possible some friend may come and purchase a pardon at the Kings hands for an offender, but the King himself doth not purchase it: yet thus it is with God: God doth not pardon any one sin, but it costs God himself dear before he gets it; therefore 'tis not such a slight thing to be pardoned; you must not think to go to God and cry mercy, and that he will pardon, thus in a natural way God never pardons sin: but it costs God dear, yea that which is more worth than all the world; if that could have done it, God would rather have dissolved Heaven and Earth, than have given that that he did give;
What was that? It was the blood of his own Son: God gave him up to death for the sin of mankind, and for the purchasing a pardon for man: But some may say, What need God have purchased a pardon for man? Could he not have forgiven him by his absolute
Prerogative? I answer, there was need, because of the satisfaction of Justice, he did purchase it out of the hands of Justice; God was fain to lay down a price to Justice, before he himself could pardon one sin: Justice must be satisfied before he could give out one pardon:
Well, take all these together, Christ must be our Surety, take the debt upon himself, and suffer as much punishment as we should have done in Hell to all eternity; and to make the soul stand righteous before God, yet this righteousness to be in another; yea, a near union is made between Christ and the Soul: And yet further, 'tis by faith, and yet boasting is excluded; and God is infinitely merciful, and yet infinitely just; and when he pardons one sin, he lays in a pardon for all sin for time to come, justifies the ungodly, pardons sin, yet purchases the pardon: These eleven Meditations about the Pardon of Sin make it appear to be a wonderful work of God; put these together, and then the result according to the point will be clear and full, that, Blessed is that man whose sins are forgiven : And surely if there be such a mysterious and glorious work of God in pardoning sin; that man for whom God shall work such a glorious work is a blessed man indeed. And now having done with this Argument of the