R;<_tft· !} • ~ejfoiO• [!Ceft. 11· Cafes about ·Pardon mzd. Jttj'tiftcation. verfir de nomine, ~het~cr it be proper to call our prefem jufiificarion or pardon Pcrfe{/ is Cilfily de– cided from what ts fatd de re. Quefl. 9• [J our pardon perfe[/ ar to aY the fins that are pafl? An[w. r. As to the number of fins par~o~ed , it is : For all are par.doncd. 2· As to the fpt– tiu of the act, and the plenary tffed:, H IS not. For, z, All the pumfhment is not removed . 2. T:1e final ab{olving fentence is to come. 3· The pardon which we haveis as to its co"tinttance bu~ conditional: And the tenour of the Covenant would ceafe the pardon even ofaI[ fins paft, if rh~ fin· 11ers faith and tcpcntance Chould cc~fc: I fpeak not de. eveHtu whet?er ever any do fall away, but of the tenNtr of the Covenant; wh1ch may prevent fallmg away. Now a pardon which hath ml'!lch yet ro be done, as the condition of irs continuance, is not fo perfect, as it will be when all thofe things arc performed. Q!efl. xo. M>y Pardon or Jujlification be rever[ed or loft? An[w. Whether God will eventually permit his true fervants, to fall fo far as to be unjufiified is a Conrroverfie which I have written of in a firrer place. 2· But quoad robur peccfltoris it is alas1 too eafie to faH away, and be unjuflitied. ~·And as to the renour of the Covenant, it ~ontinuerh the promife and tfmatning conditionally,, and fuppofing the finncr defectible, doth threaten dam· nation to them that are now Ju(htied, tf they lhould not perfevere but apofiatize , Col. 1 • 33 • Rom. lJ, 22· J ohn IS· 9. Q1ell. 1 •· Is t!Jt p>r<kn of my own fins to be beliivtd fide divina >And i< it the meaning of that Article ~f the Creed, I belteve the pardon of my fins ? Anfw. I am to believe fide divina, that Chrill hath purchafcd, and cnadoed a conditional par· don, which is univerfal, and thc:retOrc cxtcndeth to my fins as well as to other mens : And that he commandeth his Miniflers to offer me this, and therein to offer me the a6\:ual pardon of all my tins, to be mine if I truly repent and believe : And that if I do fo, my fins are aCl:ually par· doned. And I am obliged accordingly to believe in Chrifl, and take him for my S•viour, for the pardon of my fins. B11t this is all the meaning of the Creed, and Scripture, and all that is of Ditiine belief. 2· But that I am at1ually pardoned, is not of Divine faith, but only on fuppofition that I firfi believe : which Scripture tclleth not, whether I do or not. In fltiCl: fenfe l mufi firll believe in Chrift for pardoa : And next in a larger fcnfe I mufl believe that I am pardoned ; that is, I mufl fo conclude by an ado of reafon, one of the premifcs being !le fide , and the other of internal felf·IQ!Owledge. Q!cfl. 12. M•y a man truft in hi< own faith or repentance for hit par<kn and juftification, in UIIJ' kjnd l Ar.fw. woxds mufi be ufed with refpedo to the underflanding of the hearers: And perilous <X· preflions mufi be avoided Jell they deceive men. Bur de re, I• You mull not trufi to your faith or repentance, to do that which is proper to God, or to Chrill, or to the GofpcJ, or for any more than their own p1rr, which Chrill hath affigned them. 2. You muft truft to your f aith and repen– tance for that which is truly their own part. And lhould you not rrufi them at all, you muft needs dcfpair, or trufl prcfumptuoufly to you know not what. For Chrifl will not be inflead of faith or rtpiiUaJtce to you. . ~eH. 13. IYbat are the feveral caufls and conditions of pardon l A 1J[rv. J. God the [<'ather is the principal efficient, giving us Chrifl, and pardon with and through him. 2 Chrilh perfonby his Sacrifice and Merits is the Meritorious Caufe. 3· The Gofpel Covenant or Promi!c is the Infirumemal Caufc-, or Gods pardoning Ad' or Grant. 4• Rrpentance- is rhe Condition fim qzea non, necefTary directly gratia finis, in refpeCl: to God, to whom we mull: turn. 5· Faith in Chrifl is rhe Condition fine qua non, directly grati!t medii priHdpalW, in refpcct to the Mediator, who is thereby received. 6. The Holy Gholl worketh us to thcfe conditions. Tit.,;
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