Chapter 4. The Augmentation of the Charter.
Chapter 4.
The Augmentation of the Charter.
Among these "things present," there are yet two other eminent privileges which are in the believer's charter.
1. Remission of sin.
2. Regeneration.
Section 1. Remission of Sin is a Jewel of the Believer's Crown.
To pardon sin, is a privilege belonging to God alone. Pope's pardons are like blanks in a lottery—good for nothing but to be torn up and thrown away. Who can forgive sins but God alone? Mark 2:7. Now this remission or pardon is, 1. A costly mercy.
2. A choice mercy.
1. Pardon of sin is a COSTLY mercy. That which enhances the price of it is that it is the great fruit of Christ's sacrificial death.
"Without shedding of blood is no remission." Christ bled out our pardon: he was not only "a lamb without spot," but a lamb slain.
Every pardon a sinner has, is written in Christ's blood.
2. Pardon of sin is a choice mercy. This jewel God hangs upon none but his elect. It is put into the charter; "I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." This is an enriching mercy, it entitles us to blessedness; "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him." Psalm 32:1-
2. Of all the debts we owe, our sins are the worst! To have the book cancelled and God appeased; to hear God whisper by his Spirit, "son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven; I will not blot your Name out of my book—but I will blot your Sins out of my book,"—this is a mercy of the first magnitude. "Blessed is that man"; in the original it is in the plural, "blessednesses." "Have you but one blessing, my father," says Esau. But here is a plurality, a whole chain of blessings. Pardon of sin draws the silver link of grace, and the golden link of glory after it. It is a voluminous mercy, there are many mercies bound up with it. You may name it Gad, for behold, "a troop comes."
When God pardons a sinner, now he puts on (if I may so speak) his brightest robe. Therefore when he would proclaim himself in his glory to Moses, it was after this manner, "The Lord, the Lord merciful." Exod. 34:6. His mercy is his glory: and if you read a little further, you shall see it was no other than pardoning mercy:
"Forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin," etc. This is a high act of indulgence. God seals the sinner's pardon with a kiss. This made
David put on his best clothes and anoint himself. It was strange, his child newly dead, and God had told him that the sword should not depart from his house; yet now he falls anointing himself. The reason was, David had heard good news, God sent him his pardon by Nathan the prophet; "The Lord has put away your sin!" This oil of gladness which God had poured into his heart, made way for the anointing oil.
Question. How shall I know that this privilege is mine?
Answer. He whose sins are pardoned, has something to show for it.
There are three scripture-evidences:
1. The pardoned sinner is a WEEPING sinner. Never did any man read his pardon with dry eyes. Look upon that weeping penitent, "she stood behind Christ weeping." Tears were distilled out of her penitent heart! O, how precious were Mary's tears! surely
more costly in Christ's esteem than her ointment. They dropped from her eyes—as so many pearls. Her amorous eyes, whose sparkles had so often set on fire all her lovers, she now seeks to be revenged on them, and washes Christ's feet with her tears!
Her embroidered hair, which had so often as a net, ensnared others —she now makes it a towel to wipe Christ's feet! Here was a pardoned penitent. A pardon will turn the stony heart into a spring of tears! O sinner, ask yourself the question—Is your heart dissolved into tears? does it melt for sin? God seals his pardons only upon melting hearts.
Question. But to what purpose is all this cost? What is the need of weeping after pardon?
Answer. Because now sin and mercy are drawn out in more lively colors than ever. The Spirit comes thus to a sinner; "You have sinned against God, who never intended you evil; you have abused his mercy; all this you have done—yet behold, here is your pardon! I will set up my mercy above your sin, nay, in spite of it!" The sinner being sensible of this, falls a weeping, and wishes himself even dissolved into tears. He looks upon a bleeding Christ with a bleeding heart.
Nothing can so melt the heart of a sinner as the love of God, and the blood of Christ.
2. He whose sins are pardoned, his heart burns in a flame of LOVE. Thus we read of Mary Magdalene—as her eyes were broached with tears—so her heart was red with love to Christ, "for she loved much." God's love in pardoning a sinner has an attracting power. The law has a driving power—but love has a drawing power.
3. He whose sins are pardoned, is willing to pardon others.
He does forbear and forgive those who have offended him, Eph. 4:32.
Some will pray, go to church, give alms—anything but forgive! It is the brand set upon the heathens, "unmerciful," Romans 1:31. Those who live without forgiveness, cannot pray the Lord's prayer, or if they do, they must pray against themselves; they pray that God will
forgive them "as they forgive others," which is in effect to pray that God will not forgive them. Surely he who has tasted of pardon will think it but rational and Christian, that he should forgive his offending brother.
Section 2. Showing that Regeneration goes along with Remission, and is a Branch of the Charter.
Privilege 2.
Regeneration—which is nothing else but the transforming the heart, and casting it into a new mold. You have a pregnant verse for this, Romans 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." In the Incarnation, Christ did assume our human nature; and in Regeneration, we partake of his divine nature.
This blessed work of regeneration, is in scripture called sometimes the "new birth," because it is begotten of a new seed, the Word,
James 1:18, and sometimes the "new creature"; new, not in substance but in quality. This is the great promise, Ezek. 36:26, "A new heart also will I give you."
Observe, remission of sin and regeneration are two twins; when God pardons he takes away the rebel's heart. Where this work of regeneration is wrought, the heart has a new bias, and the life a new bent. How great a privilege this is, will appear two ways.
1. Until this blessed work of regeneration, we are in a spiritual sense, DEAD. "Dead in trespasses and sins," Eph. 2:1.
A. He is dead in respect of WORKING. A dead man cannot work. The works of a sinner in scripture are called "dead works"; bid a natural man do anything, you had as good set a dead man about your work; bring him to a sermon, you do but bring a dead corpse to church; bring him to the sacrament, he poisons the sacramental cup; it is as if you should put bread and wine into a dead man's mouth. "Reprove him sharply for sin"; to what purpose do you strike a dead man?
B. He is dead in respect of HONOR. He is dead to all privileges; he is not fit to inherit mercy. Who sets the crown upon a dead man? The