SE R MoNs of the Forgivenefs of S r N s. 341 jdly. The Grace of God is very confpicuous in diipenfing Pardon, according to rhe Order of rhe Gofpel to rcpennng Smncrs. For fir!l:, Repentance renders rhe D1vmc Mercy moil: honourable in the Eil:eem of thofe who partake of it. Ou~ Sa~iour reUs u~, 7he w!Joie need not a Phyjician, but thofe wbo are jid:. He that feels Ius D1fcafe, and IS firongly apprchenfive of irs Danger, values the Counfcl and Ailifl:ancc of a Phyfician above all Treafures. The rcpeming Sinner who is under the flrong ConviCtion of his Guilt, and his being always obnoxious to the Judgment of God, and eternal Mifery the Confequ~nt of it, he values the Favour. of God as the ~nofl: fovcrci~n Good, .and a~ counts lus Difplcafure as the fupremc Evtl. Repentance mi}?ircs flammg AflCC.hons 111 nur Prayers and PraifCs for Pardon. The repenting Sinner prays for Pardon with as much Fervency as Daniel pray'd in the Den, to be prefcrved from the devouring Lions ; or as Jonab pray'd out of the Belly of Hell for Dclivcr• nce: He addreflcs not wirh Jon.h '· f;unt bu~ fainting Defires for Mercy; Gzve me Pa_rt!on, or I d1e. The m(enfible Sinner that is fecurc in the Shadow of Death, may offcr fOme verbal Requefi-s for Pardon, bur his Prayer is defective in the Principle: for he never feels the Want o~ a Pardon; he prays fo coldly as if unconcern'd whether he be accepted or no. And Wtth what a Rapt ure of Admiration, and Joy, and thankful Affections, cloth the pardon'd Penitent magnifie the Di vine Mercy? ThcChriO:ian Niohethat was melted ihto repenting Tears/O'ZJed muc/;, f.ecaufe muc/; 1vas forgiven her. 2. This Efiablifhment that Repentance qualifies a Sinner for Pardon, is mqfl: beneficial t~ Man, and confequently mo.fl: ili uft.rates pardoning ~ercy. We mu~ obfCrve, that Sm does not only affeCt us With G01lt, bur leaves an Inherent Corruption that defiles and debafes the Sinner, and fl:rongly inclines him to rclapfe into Rebellion. Now Re:. pentance gives the true Reprefentati?n of Sin in its p~oal .Confequcnc~s, the Anger of the Almighty, .the Terrors of ~onfc1ence, and makes It evident and odiOus to the Soul. David had a p1~rcing ConvictiOn what a foul Sin A~lultery was, when his Bones we~·e broken. Repcntmg Sorrow fl:rikes at the Root of Sin, the Love of Pleafi.ue. Tlus makes us fearful ro offend God, and to fly all rhc alluring Temptations that wi ll betray us to S111. T lus makes us obedient. The melted Metal Is recepuve of any Form. Contrition is join'd with Refignation: Lord, wbat wilt thou bave me to do? Was the Voice of repenting Saul. It may be objected, that we read, Godjuflifies tbe Ungodly, bur the Anfwer is clear. The Apofl:le does not intend by the Ungodly, an tmpcni<ent Sinner, bur makes the Oppofition between rhc Ungodly and one that perfectly obeys rhe Law, and is confequenrly juil:ificd by Works : And in tillS Senfe the moO: excellent Saints here are ungodly. Befides, the Apoil:Jc does nor aifcrt rhar God abfolutely pardons rhe Ungodly, bur qualifies rhe ~er;~un:;;/fo:i~::::e;:[n~J/ n~~,!ujt~if;~~ o;.1t:1~ ~~1 jttc~:~:~~eU:~:dfrke/;~a~:~~ Twins: R<:pentance is firfl: felt, and then Faith exerts it felf in applying the Mcrit:s of Chrifl:'s Death for our Pardon. It is replied by_ fome_, tb~t all Grac~ is co?1m~micated from Chrifi, as our Head, and fuppofes our Umon With lum, of wluch Fau~1 JS the vi ral Band, and confcquenrly the firfl: Grace, by which all other Graces are denvcd to us . To ~his I anfw~~' there a~e two Mean~ of our Union with Chrifi: The principal is the qtuckning Spmt defccndmg from Chnfl: as the Fountain of the fupe rnarural Life, and a lively Faith wrought in us by his pure and powerful Operation, that afcends from us and ~ l o_ies with him. 'Tis faid, the fecond Adam was made a guickning Spirit : and he rhar ts Join' cl to the L ord is one Sfirit. As rhe Parrs of the natural ~ody arc united by the VItal Influence of the fame Soul that IS prefcnr m the whole; io we are united to Chrifl: by rhe Holl Spirit rhat \Vi'S given to him wirhour. meafurc, and from his Fulncfs ts denved to us. Tts clear therefore beyond all Conrradtct!On, that Fatth is not antecedently requifitc, as the means of conveying all Graces to -us from Cluifr. 2. There arc Two Acts of Faith : the firfl: refpects rhe General Offer of Pardon in the Gofpcl ro all repenting believing Sinners : The Second is rhe Application of rhc Promtfe ?f Pardon to the Soul._ The Ftrfl: ts antecedent to evangehcaJ Repentance: The Second IS clearly confequent m the Order of Nature, for the Promi fe a1Turcs Pardon only to the weary and heavy laden that come to ·Chrifl for Rejl. In /hoer,. there is a perfect Agreement and Sympathy between Reafon and Divine Revel~tiOI_lm this Doctrine, that God p~rdons only the repentirig Smner. The contrary AlTertiOn IS an Impeachment of the ReCbtudc of his Nature, and directly contrary to the Defign and Tenour of the Gofpcl. If a Man be jufiified as ungodly, rhe Evangelical Co~~and of Repentance for the Remiffion of Sins is ufclcfs and unprofitable. What a permc10us Influence upon Practice this DoCtrine may have, is obvious to any that confider
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