CHAPTER VIII. The Perfection of Pardoning Mercy
many are deceived and deluded) yet then the Spirit over-powers all doubts and fears, and witnesses to the Soul its own work: Do not you say, because some are deluded with fancies, that there is no witness of the Spirit; when as there is scarce any point in the Gospel the Scripture speaks more about than this of the witness of the Spirit: indeed they that judge of the mysteries of the Gospel by Human
Reason, and understand no further than that reaches too, and that are little acquainted with those converses that are between God and a believing Soul, they may slight this witness of the Spirit; but you must know, there is not any Soul that has assurance he shall go to Heaven, but it is wrought on by a high supernatural and mysterious way; and if there were no other way to evidence this to the Soul but by some signs, this would be no higher evidence than by way of reason: But we are to know, as great is the mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, so also great is the mystery of godliness, God justified in the Spirit ; God justified in the Spirit is a great mystery,
Christ's Incarnation is a great mystery, so is a Believers Justification as well as Christ's Incarnation; so also the witness of Justification is a great mystery; and therefore I beseech you look up higher than for such signs as Reason may reach unto, and beg of God to reveal this unto you, that thou mayest have the witness of the Spirit of God to testify unto thee that thy sins are pardoned. Now blessed is the man, whose iniquities are forgiven, seeing God the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost is so much in it.
CHAPTER VIII:
The Perfection of Pardoning Mercy Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven, for this mercy is a perfect mercy, that is, where God doth pardon any sinner, such a one stands as perfect before God in point of Justification as Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, or any of the Prophets or righteous men that ever lived in the
world: thou poor Soul, Man or Woman, Youth or Servant, if God come unto thee, & pardon any of your sins, thou standest as fully justified as Abraham, Paul, Peter, or any of the Apostles and Prophets; though in Sanctification thou fallest short of them, yet though art justified as perfectly as ever they were: Justification is an act that is done altogether and at once, therefore a perfect work; and this is an Argument of infinite Consolation to the Saints of God, that the great business between God and them in point of Justification is perfected; Psal. 51.7. David prays to God that he would purge him with Hyssop and he should be clean, that is, that he might be cleansed by Justification, by having the guilt of sin taken from his
Conscience by a renewed act of pardon; and then as it follows, I shall be whiter than Snow: the Saints of God though they be Sanctified, they are not whiter than the snow in Sanctification, but in Justification they are whiter than the snow; no spot at all in them, Ephes. 5.27. Christ presents his Church unto himself without spot ; in point of Justification every believing soul is without spot before the Lord, Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob ; that is, though God knows there is iniquity there, yet he sees is not to charge them with it, or impute it to them; all is done away in that regard by Justification: it is observable to this purpose, what we have in Cant. 4.7. Thou art all fair my love, there is no spot in thee, no spot in thee; there are spots in respect of Sanctification ; yea, but in respect of Justification it may be said of her, There is no spot at all in thee; Thou art all fair my Love, it is the words of Christ, he comes forth and says, Thou art all fair my Love: Alas, when the Believer looks upon himself, his own duties and performances, he sees nothing at all but spots, all besmear'd and bespatter'd all over; why, though thou lookest on thyself be spotted, yet Christ looks upon thee without spot, and God the Father looks upon thee through Christ without spot, and says, Thou art all fair, there is no spot in thee ; thou thinkest it may be, that if God should make a discovery of thy heart to all thy Christian friends and acquaintance, thou wouldest appear so foul, that they would cast thee out of their society, and never have to do with thee more; yet for all this, Christ says, Thou art all fair, there is no spot at all in thee. Justification admits of no