Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

,ng6 The Life of Faith. Therefore receiveev.ry particular mercy for foul and body, as from the blood, and from the prefent mediation of Chrift, thatyou mey rightly underhand it, and have it as fanttificd and fweetncd byChrift. Dsrc6t. t 2. Let Faith take oecafion by every fin, to renew yourfeufe of the want of ebrift, and to bringyou to him, to me- ditate andgrant you a renewed pardon. Therefore entertain not their miflake, who tell men that all fin, pail, prefent, and to come, is fully pardoned at once (whether it be before you were born in Gods decree, or Chrifis fatisfation, or at the time of your converfion) nor theirs who teach that Chrift pardoneth only fins before con- verfion, but as for all that arc committed afterward, he doth prevent the need of pardon, by preventing all guilt and ob- ligation to punifhment (except meet temporal chaff lenient.) The preparationwhich Chrifi bath made for our pardon, is in it fclf fufñcient, yea and effectual as et that end which he would have it attain before our believing : But our anal pardon isno fuch end: Nor can fin be forgiven before it be corn_ witted; becaufe it is no fin. Chrifi never intended toju/fifte or fanVifte tes perfe&ly at the firft (whatfoever many fay to the contrary, becaufe they underhand not what they fay) but to carryon both proportionably and by degrees, that we may have daily ufe for his daily mediation, and may daily pray, Forgive us_ our trefpaffrs. There is noguilt on them that arc inCbrifb, fo far as they soalknot after the ffefü, but after the (pirit ; nor noproper condemnation byfentence or execution at all ; becaufe their pardon is renewed by Chrift, as theyrenew their fins of infirmity : but not becaufe he preventetb their needof any further pardon. Therefore as Godmade advantage ofthe fins of the world; for the honouring of his grace in Chrift, that grace might abound where fin abounded, Rom. 5. r 2, 16, 17. So do you make advantage of your renewed' tins, for a renewed ufe of faith in Chrift ; and let it drive you to himwith renewed de- fires andcxpcdations of pardon by his intercef ion : That Satan may be a lofer, and Chrifi may have more honour by every fin that we commit. Not that wefhould fin that grace sayabound ; but that we may make ufe of abounding grace when

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