Use 1. Is to inform us, that all those that seek after reconciliation with God, or would take themselves to be reconciled to him, should bo
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dealing with God about the pardon of sins, and suing out this privi- lege, which is of such use in their commerce with Grod.
But here ariseth a doubt ; what need have those that are reconciled to God to beg pardon ?
Ans. Very great, Mat. vi. 12. Our Lord hath taught us so ; we pray for daily pardon and daily grace against temptations, as well as for daily bread. I prove it, —
1. From the condition of God's people here in the world. We are not so fully sanctified here in the world, but there is some sin found in us ; original sin remaineth with us to the last, and we have our actual slips. Paul complaineth of the body of death, Rom. vii. 23 ; and tlie apostle telleth us : 1 John i. 8, * If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us ; ' and ver. 10, ' If we say, that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us;' and Eccl. vii. 20, 'There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinnethnot ;' either omitting good or committing evil. They do not love God with that purity and fervency, nor serve him "with that liberty, delight, and reverence, that he hath required. It is the happiness of the church triumphant, that they have no sin ; of the church militant, that their sin is forgiven. Sometimes we sin out of ignorance ; sometimes out of imprudence and inconsideration ; some- times "we are overtaken, and sometimes overborne ; now these things must be heartily bewailed to God. While a ship is leaking water we must use the pump ; and the room that is continually gathering soil must be daily swept; the stomach that is still breeding ill humours must have new physic. We still make work for pardoning mercy, and therefore for repentance and faith.
2. From the several things which we ask in asking a pardon.
[1.] For the grant, that God would accept of the satisfaction of Christ for our sins, and of us for his sake. Christ was to ask and sue out the fruits of his mediation, Ps. ii. 8. And we are humbly to sue out our right ; for notwithstanding the condescensions of his grace, God dealeth with us as a sovereign, and doth require submission on our part: Jer. iii. 13, ' Only acknowledge thine iniquities, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God.' The debt is humbly to be acknowledged by the creature, though God hath found out a means to pardon it.
[2.] We beg the continuance of a pardon ; as in daily bread, though we have it by us, we beg the continuance and use of it ; so in sanctification, we beg the continuance of sanctifi cation, as Avell as the increase, because of the relics of corruption. God may for our exercise make us feel the smart of old sins, as an old bruise, though it be healed, yet ever and anon we feel it upon change of weather ; accusa- tions of conscience may return for sins already pardoned : Job. xiii. 26, * Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me possess the sins of my youth.' Sins of youth may trouble a man that is reconciled to God, and hath obtained pardon of them. God's children may have their guilt raked out of its grave, and the appearance of it may be as frightful, as a ghost or one risen from the dead; the wounds of an healed conscience may bleed afresh. Therefore we need beg as David : Ps. XXV. 6, 7, 'Remember thy mercies which have been of old; re-
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member not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions.' When we are unthankful, unwatchful, or negligent, God may permit it for our humiliation.
[3.] The sense and manifestation. Few believers have assurance of their own sincerity ; God may blot sins out of his book, when he doth not blot them out of our consciences ; God blotteth them out of the book of his remembrance, as soon as we repent and l;elieve ; but he blotteth them out of our consciences, when the worm of conscience is killed by the application of the blood of Christ through the Spirit : Heb. X. 22, ' Sprinkled from an evil conscience.' David beggeth the sense, when Nathan had told him of the grant: Ps. li. 12, ' liestore unto me the joy of thy salvation,' forgive it in our sense and feeling.
[4.] The increase of our sense ; for it is not given out in such a degree, as to shut out all fear and doubt : 1 John iv. 18, ' There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath tor- ment ; he that feareth is not made perfect in love.'
[5.] The effects of pardon, or freedom from those evils, which are the fruits of sin. We would have God to pardon us, as we pardon others, fully and entirely ; forgive, and forget ; that he would not execute upon us the temporal punishment, farther than is necessary for our good ; compare 2 Kings xxiii. 26, with Ezek. xxxiii. 12-14. Either he will not chastise us, or, if he doth, he will sanctify our afflictions. When God remits the eternal punishment, yet he inflicteth temporal evil, not to complete our justification, but to further our sanctilication. If we knew only the sweetness of sin and not the bitterness, we would not be so shy of it: Jer. ii. 19, ' Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts ; ' 1 Cor. xi. 32, * Chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned.'