'340 ' Rom. S. Alh>- SERMo Ns· of the Forgivenejs of S1N s. and PraCtice of Holine~s, upo_n Evang_clical and Divine Motives. The principal Ingrc- ·diem~ in it are, RcRcC:ho_ns wirh,G:iet a~d Sh~m~ upon our p_afi: Sins, wirh ficdfaH: Rcfolunons of fu~ucc Obcdxence. _. T1s a VJtal Pru~c1ple produC:hve of Fruits futablc to it . 'Tis call'<\ Repentance from dead Works, Repentance unto Life. 'Tis the Seed of new Obc: t~~~d~n . r~~)~~~;n~~i~~1 o[r~i:n~.f ~:~J i;s a bb~~"J;d }~r~~~~~ b~fr r~!l~~ ;Jai~n§~~~~~~~ fefs my iranfgrrffions to the Lord, and tbou forgavej/ the lniqutty of my Sin. The Summ and Tenour of the Apofllcs Commlflion . recorded by Sr. Luke IS, lbat Repentance and Rom!Jion of Sins fhould be preacbed in tbe V am~ of Cbrij/ to allVations. That a repentant Smncr only IS quahficd for Pardon, will bs;: c vidC I)t 111 confidcnng, r. That an impcn ir_c nt Sinner is the Objc~ of rc~enging Jufhce; and 'ris utterly inconlifl:cnt rhar pardonmg ~ercy. and rcvengu1g Ju!hce fhou.ld be, rermiuared upon rhc f< me Perfon at the fame ttme, m the f~me rcf}>cet-. 'Tis fatd, The L~rd hatetiJ all t);t T!Vor!.ers of Iniquity; and his Soul.hates tbe Wicked. The Expre~ion implies the imenfc Degrees of Hatred. In the glonous Appearance of God to Mo[es, when prodoim"d WI~h tl~e lughet1 Tttlcs o~ ~~nour, The Lor~ God, gracious and merciful, pardoning fni- 'fluty, .lrcwfgrej/iOJl and Sm) ttS added, be JVr/! hy no means !par~ the Guilty, i.e. impcni- ~cnr Sumcrs. We ~nu~ fuppofc God to ~e o.f a changeable tlcxi?Ie Nature, .C whicil is a blafp~emous. Imagmat101~, at?d .make~ htm hke ro. fin~ul M~n) tf an impemrent Sinner m:ty be rccetvcd ro Favour Without a ~Change in hts DI{}>ofitton. God cannot repent of giving a holy Law, rhe Rule o~ our Du~y, therefore Ma ~t mqfl: repent of his breaking rhc.Lawbcfore he can be reconciled to Ium. The Trmh IS , Man confider'd merely as a Sumer is not rhe Objecl: of God's firfl Mercy, i . e. of Pity and Compallion: for as 1i.tch he is the ObjeCt of God's Wrath; and ' ris a formal Contradiction to aiTcrttlm he is rhc O~icCt of Love and Hat,rcd ar rl~c i3mc rime, and in the fame rcfpeCt. But Man confi..icr'd as God's Crca.ture, involv',d m Mifcry by the Fraud of the Tempter, and hi~ own Folly, was the Objecl: of Gods C~mpallion; and the Recovery of him from his forlorn wretched Stare, was the Effctt of that Compaffion. '1. Tho' Mercy confider' d as a feparare Attribute might pardon an impenitent Sinner, yet not in ConjunCtion and Concord with God's elfcnrial Perfections. Many things arc poilible to Power abfolutely coniider'd, which God cannot do : .For his Power is always direc;<cd in its Exercife_ by his Wifdom, and limited by Ius WilL It would d1fparage Qod s W1fdom, fiam lus Hobncfs, vtolate Ius Jufbcc, to pardon an 1mpenitent Smner. The.Gofpcl by rhe Promife of Pardon ro fuch, would fo il it fclf, and fruflrare its prin- ~ipal End, which is to purife us from all Iniquity, and to maKe us a People z.ealo11s of good Works. l· If an impcn irent Sinner may be pardoned as fuch, he may be glorified: For that which qualifies a Man for Pardon, qualifies him for Salvation: And rhe Divi ne Decree el1abli0res an infeparable Connexion berween them ; Whom God juj/ifies be glorifies. If a Smncr dtes immediately after his Pardon IS pafl:, nothing can mtercept Ius bcmg received into Heaven. Now this is utterly impoffible; the exclu lion of fuch is peremptory and uni vcrf.-li , for without Holinefs no Man jhall fee God. The Admillion of an impeni tent Sinner into Heaven, would pollute that holy Place, and unconfecratc the Temple . o ~ Go~ wherein his Hol.inefs 01i?es . ~n, its Glory. I t IS obJecl:cd by fome, that the rcqumng Repe1tancc to qualifie the Sinner for Pardon eclip!cs the Grace of the Gofpel. . I willing acknowledge, that a religious Jcaloufie, lcfl: the Frcencfs and Honour of Divine Grace in our Pardon f110uid be lefTen'd, is very becoming a Chriil:ian ; bur 'tis illgrounded and ill-guided in this Matter. 'I his will be evident by confidering; Jjl. Repentance IS an Evangehcal Grace, the Gtft of the Redeemer: f-ilm has God rnifed to be a Prince an.d a Stroiour, to give Repentance and Forgh.Je11ejs of Sin. The Law did not allow of Repentance, nor~promife Pardon. The Defign of it was to keep us in the Fa\'OUr and Communion with God, bur afforded no Means of Reconciliation after our offending him. Repentance was no Degree of PerfeCtion before Man's Fall, bur i.i a Relief of his Jmperfecl:ion afrer ir. The Law call'd the Righteous to Obedience, cl~e Gofpe l calls Sinners to Repentance. 2d!y. There is no Caufality or Merit .in Rcpentanc~ ro procure our ~ar~on. Th~ Mercy of God for the mofl precious Menrs and Mcdianon of Jefus Chnfl IS the onlf Caufe of Pardon. A Flood of repenting Tears, an EffuJion of our Blood, arc of too low a Price to make any SatisfaCtion to God, to defcrve a Return of his Farour. T.hc mofl fi ncere Love of Holinefs, and fl:edfafl Refolution to forf.1ke Sin, which is rhe pnncipal parr of Repentance, can be ~o Sarisfa~ion for our pail: _Offences, ~or 'ris rl_1e na.rural Duty of Man before the Commtffion of Sm: Repentance ts only a vital Qyahficatwn in rhe Subje~ that receives the Pardon. ;diJ. The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=