(45) 'Vara() fin, and fin prefuppopha Law andLawgiver andfad- . jettion : There is ..no fin but againft a Lawand a Sovereign, and no pardon of anything but fin and puniihment. Henceit follows that at to the future, we ReceiveChriit ,firft andprincipally tofanaifie,rule anaguicleits,and but confiquently to pardon the imperfetlionofour Obedienceand our 46-1-ualfins,which we wouldfain avoid and be without ifwe could : But'Obedience is intended before the pardon of difobedience. 3 N. Yet herein is a main difference between our .firfl' andfecond Allegiance ; betweenourfirft fubjeetion to,and Acceptance of - Creator, and god-Redeemer God as Ruling by the Law ofWorks, and as ruling by the Law ofGrace,viz. that we had noformer faults to be pardoned, when we werefirft fukeEbed to godas Creator on- ly ; but we have a mountain of debt, of crimes, of .guilt upon our backs,when we are firft called to Accept of, and fubmit to the Re- deemer And therefore as to all this former guilt, we do define Chrift,pli in the order ofour confideration,as one that hath ie- edfor us, andpaid that feorr,andwillpardon all thofeformer fins, upon his g off)el terms, before we confider him as either togovern us, or pardon our futurefins. But this proves not that pardon is firft accepted or received before Chrift as Lord, though it befirft defired by us : For the order of acceptance and participation is not the fame as the order ofDefire : For Acceptance mug follow the. Order of the gift or offer, but Defire may run beforeit. Here alfo it appears, that there is agreat difference betweenour Receiving,Chrift for the pardon of paft fins, and offuture fins, in. our confederation and intention. Alp aChriflian may lawfully will, and pray againit the needof further pardoning grace, and hope for the timewhen he(hall renew his need ofit no more: But he may notiViih for the time when he fhallhave no needofbeing inherent.. ly righteous, perfealy holy andobedient. loth. 24.22, Mat.18 .a 9i 10. Luke 19. 27. Heb. 9., z, 6. Rom. 7. 14,15. Mat.I 7. S See befcr.ff., Mat.i 1,95 30. Rom.3 25 Luke I. 75)77. mark well that i lob. 2. 1,2,3)4436. 10114. i4.& S. Pfal. $5. 8. Mat, 7. 24. cloth Sam. 12. 36. Chrift never dyed to Reconcile god to our fins , nor a th Hab. I. r 3. god through Chrift love, or accept our fins, though he do accept 0.162 Duty that bath fin commixt : nor cloth God like, fin ever the bet- 24, 30, 31. ter becaufe it it a member of Chrift that committeth it : nay, N. it NI Pet. z' 3 halo manyaggravations more then the fins of aliens, fo in refpen- Aas 1 6.34, '- of them he hared, it the more. Of a truth I perceive (better up- 31. on thefe convincing confiderations then heretofore I did) that God is no refpeEl-er of perfons, but in every _Nation he thatfareth bins and worketh riPhteoufnefs is acceptedof him. 3 37. N..9°'
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