Aphorism 10. When God pardons a sin- ner, he forgives all sins, Jer. xxxiii. 8., " I will pardon all their iniquities." Col. ii. 13., "Having forgiven you all trespasses." The mercy-seat covered the whole ark ; the mercy-seat was a type of forgiveness, to shew that God covers all our transgressions. He doth not leave one sin nj)on the score ; he doth not take his pen, and for fourscore sins "write down fifty, but blots out all sin, Ps. ciii. 3., '■ Who forgives all thine iniqui- ties." When I say, God forgiveth all sins, I understand it of sins past, but sins to come are not forgiven till they are repented of. Indeed God hath decreed to pardon them ; and when God forgives one sin, he will in time forgive all ; but sins future are not ac- tually pardoned, till they are repented of; it is absurd to think sin should be forgiven, before it is committed.
1. If all sins past and to come are at once forgiven, then, what need a man pray for the pardon of sin ? It is a vain thing to pray for the pardon of that which is already forjnven.
2. This opinion, that sins to come (as well as past) are forgiven, doth take away and make void Christ's intercession. Christ is an advocate to intercede for daily sins, 1 John ii, 1.; but if sin be forgiven before it be committed, what need is there of Christ's daily intercession ? What need have I of an advocate if sin be pardoned before it be committed ? So that God,
though he forgives all sins past to a believ- er, yet sins to come are not forgiven, till repentance be renewed.
Aphorism 11. Faith doth necessarily an- tecede forgiveness, there must be believing on our part, before there is forgiving on (iod's part, Acts x. 43., " To him gave all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever helieveth in him shall receive remission of sins." So that faith is a ne- cessary antecedent to forgiveness. There are two acts of faith, — to accept Christ, and to trust in Christ, — to accept of his terms, to trust in his merits ; and he who doth neither of these, can have no forgive- ness ; he who doth not accept Christ, can- not have his person ; he that doth not trust in him, cannot have benefit by his blood. So that, without faith no remission.
Aphorism 12. Though justification and sanctification are not the same, yet God ne- ver pardons a sinner, but he doth sanctify him. Justification and sanctification are not the same.
1. Justification is without us, sanctifica- tion is within us. The one is by righteous^ ness imputed, tlie other is by righteousness, imparted.
2. Justification is equal, sanctification is gradual. Sanctification doth recipere majua et minus ; one is sanctified more than ano- ther, but one is not justified more than a- nother ; one hath more grace than another, but he is not more a believer than another.
3. The matter of our justification is per- fect, viz. Christ's righteousness ; but our sanctificaticui is im|)erfect, there are the- spots of God's children, Deut. xxxii. 5. Our graces are mixed, our duties are defil- ed, 'i'hus justification and sanctification are not the same ; yet, for all that, they are not separated. God never pardons and justifies a sinner, but he doth sanctify him, 1 Cor. vi. 11., " But ye are justified, but ye are sanctified." 1 John v. 6., " This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ." Christ comes to the soul by blood,, that denotes remission ; and by water, that denotes sanctification. Let no man say he is pardoned, that is not made holy. And this, I the rather urge against the Antino- mians, who talk of being forgiven their sin, and having a part in Christ, and yet remain
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unconverted, and live in the grossest sins. Pardon and liealing go tog^ether : Isa. Ivii. 19., " I create the fruit of the lips, peace. And I will heal him." Peace is the fruit of pardon : and then it follows, " I will heal him." Whore (u)d pardons he purifies. As in the inauguration of kings, with the crown there is the oil to anoint : so when God crowns a man with forgiveness, there he gives the anointing oil of grace to sanctify, Rev. ii. 17., " I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name." A " white stone," that is absolution ; and a " new name" in the stone, that is sanctification.
1. If God should pardon a man, and not sanctify him, this would be a reproach to him ; then he should love and be well-plea- sed with men in their sins, Avhich is dia- metrically contrary to his holy nature.
2. If God should pardon and not sancti- fy, then he could have no glory from us. God's people are formed to shew forth his praise, Isa. xliii. 21., but if he should par- don and not sanctify us, how could we shew forth his praise? How could we glo- rify him ? What glory can God have by a proud, ignorant, profane heart ?