Of god's -Ffovernment, which tells us that Chrif dyed for our fins, even all that ever are for- given, and that all are forgiven to believers, (andnot the neceffity of forgivenefs prevented) and not onlyAdam's fin as ours : Nor only the temporal, but the perpetual punifhment. And even temporal punifh- ment is not due to the innocent. 122, Some dittinguifh only of AC/ions , and not of lime, and fay Chrif's Sacrifice fatisfyed for all our fins , that they may be forgiven, and his righteoufnefs is imputed tous, that we may be alto accounted jufl 5 But this is but either ambiguity, or the fore- detected grofs con- tradiflion. For if by 7ullice they mean Reputed fnlefsnefs, orperfetlion, then thefe twocannot Rand together : For he that is fuppofed asinner, is fuppofed notfinlefs or perfefk 5 And he that is fuppofedfnlefs cannot be fuppofed pardonable. 123. Some think toavoid the contradiftion, by diftinguifhingonly the momentsof Nature, and double refpebt of thefame mans aítions: They fay that wearefirft in order of Nature fuppofed to be sinners, and pardoned, and then to be fuch as moreover need the reputation of Innocencyor Righteoufnefs which is added to pardon. But, T. He that is pardoned all fins of omiffion and commiflion, is accounted In- nocent and Righteous as to any Guilt of punifhment, either offence or Lofs. 2. And he that is after accounted Innocent and juft from his fiat being to that hour, is judged never to have needed pardon : And fo they make God come with an after ail, and condemn his own fore- going adof error and injury; or at leaf to contradibt it , and in the firf infant to fay [i pardon this Sinner] and inthe fecond to fay [T now repute him one thatnever finned or neededpardon.] T24. But the commoneft way of fuch Divines is, to fay that Chrifis Righteoufnefs is fish imputed; that is , we are reputed to have perfeélly obeyed and been habitually holy in ChriIf, and thenfin is next pardoned as a fruit of the merits of this. But this is hill but the oft deteeted contradibtion, that we arefirf accountedfinlef , and therefore ourfns are forgivenus.. 12 5. Some fay that the Lawfince the fall obligethus both toobey and tofufer, and not to one only elfe a Sinner bound tofufer , thould not be bound toobey. Therefore Chrift mutt do both for us : But this is too grofs for any man to utter thatever knew what Law and Govern- ment is. Do they mean that as to the fame Alland time, the Lawbind- eth us to obey andfufr ? or for divers ads and haftantsoftime ? Do they mean that the Law bound man both to perfebtionandfufering for perfeflion, or to fuffering for fin ? No man doubts but when one fin is committed, and punifhment deferved, the Law is fill the Law, and bindethmen fill to obey or fuller more the next moment, and again toobey or fifer more the next moment. But this concernethnot our quefion. Did the Law bind Adam to obey and to fuffer before he finned ? Did it bind himboth toobey andCutler for hisnew fin the next infant ? Its true it boundhim to Cutler for his old fn ? but not for the next before it is committed. And the obligation to duty goeth before the obligation to punifhment for that fame affion; becaufe the action cometh between 5 and the firf is an aft of Gods antecedent Will, and the fecond of his confequent Will, that is, ofthe Retributive, and not the Preceptive part of the Law. And they note not that the quefion is not, what obedience aman is bound to, but what he performeth or mat be reputed to have perfor- med. If theywill fpeak fo unaptly as to fay that theLaw commaodeth Lapfed
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