[1 ] The state of the person is altered : from a child of wrath he is put into a state of grace ; from a child of the devil, made a child of God: John i. 12, 'But to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.'
[2.] There is an actual remission of all past sins till that day.
[3.] There is a right to sue out pardon for daily failings : John xiii. 10, 'Jesus saith unto him. He that is washed needeth not, save to wash his feet.' We contract new defilement every day by going up and down in a dirty w^orld. Well, then, the certain remedy is pro- vided, which will pardon our sins as soon as we are capable.
II. The extent of this benefit, ' All sin.' This showeth how perfect this deliverance is. If we should be freed from some sins only, and left under the guilt of others, we could never be upon sure terms. Though the self-judging sinner seeth multitudes of sins in himself, yet that will not hinder his free and full pardon ; nor need it to obstruct the peaceable estate of it in his conscience. For where God forgiveth one sin, he forgiveth all : Ps. ciii. 3, ' Who pardoneth all thy sins,' Micali vii. 18, ' Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.' Sins are of several kinds, original, actual ; of omission, commission ; small, great ; secret, open ; past enormities, and present infirmities. Look into thy bill ; what owest thou ? A christian is amazed when
54 SEBMON UPON 1 JOHN I. 7.
he Cometh to a serious account with God. But he needetli not be discouraged, since upon sincere and unfeigned repentance God par- doneth all that is past, and will not be severe, notwithstanding present failings and imperfections. All sins are mortal, all of them damnable : wherefore, if all sins be not pardoned, we remain in danger of the curse. Any one sin let alone is sufficient to exclude us out of heaven. There- fore, first or last, all is pardoned. Justice hath no more to seek of Christ, and we have full leave to sue out our pardon in his name.
III. The meritorious cause of it, ' The blood of Christ.'
Here let us see — (1.) What the blood of Christ doth ; (2.) Whence it hath this power to cleanse us from all our sins.
1. What the blood of Christ doth. It may be considered three ways — as shed, pleaded, sprinkled.
[1.] As shed. This is necessary by way of merit and satisfaction, to obtain for us the pardon of sins. After the entrance of sin into the world, God, that is inclined to do good to his creatures, would have it manifestly appear that he hated sin, and loved righteousness : therefore, sin being already committed, and the punishment of eternal death incurred, he would show the hatred of his justice and holiness against sin, and yet sj^are the sinner: Eom. iii. 25, ' Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteous- ness for the remission of sins.' Heb. ix. 22, 'Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.' And in the gospel, Christ is the true sacrifice for sin, accepted by God for sinful man, that he may be cleansed and i^urified, or freed from the wrath and punishment which sin had made his due. Hereby is enough done to signify God's purest holiness, and his utter hatred and detestation of sin, and to declare his love of justice, and to keep up the authority of his law, and instruct the world that it is a dangerous thing to transgress it.
[2.] As pleaded — (1.) By Christ in heaven , (2.) By us in prayer.
(1.) By Christ in heaven ; for Heb. ix. 12, ' But by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' It is that which is presented to God as the full price and ransom of souls.
(2.) By us in prayer , for the apostle saith, Heb. x. 19, ' Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.' When we beg any blessing, especially this necessary benefit, the pardon of our sins, that which supporteth our confidence of audience and acceptance with God is the blood of Christ.
[3.] As sprinkled or applied, for so we are told : Heb. xii. 24, ' You are come to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel.' It is not enough that his blood be shed, or pleaded, but it must be sprinkled. In itself it hath a cleansing power and virtue ; but being sprinkled, it doth actually cleanse and purify from sin. The sprinkling of the blood of the paschal lamb saved the house from the stroke of the destroying angel, Exod. xii. 11, Heb. xi. 28. The destroying angel passed by all those whose door-posts are sprinkled. And all the elect are said to be saved ' by the sanctification of the Spirit, and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus,' 1 Peter i. 2. And the apostle reasoneth it : Heb. ix. 13, 14, ' For if the blood of bulls and goats.