7i4 Chap. 7. AnExpofition upon the Bookof J OB. Verf.2i. or will be found meer bunglers at this work. None can pardon as thoudolt, None can pardon, a. So freely.2.None fo fully.ÿ.Nonc fo continually, q.. None eternally.5.None fo indifferently, whe- ther in refped oftanners or fins,as thou doett.:t is all one to thee, what the finsare, and all one to thee, whole the fins are, fo they come to ask thy pardon. And that which is a d;1advantage to ask pardon of man, is an encouragement to ask it of God, the greatnefs ofour fins. The Pfalmift did, and any man may make that his plea. Lord pardon my fin, for it is great. Dare any bea competitor with God in this work ? The Pharifees put the que-. Ilion right,if they hadnot miftook the perfan to whom theyput ít, Mark 2.7.. Who is this that forgivetbfin i' none can forgive fin but God alone, Again fin (in one fenfe) is committed only againft God, and for that reafon alfo,God only is the pardoner ofit : Pfat. 51. Againji thee only have I finned. Only the credi- tor can remit the debt; and he the offence,to whom we have done the wrong. God is wrong'd in all fins chiefly, and the wrong is fo much his, that it may well be called only his,therefore without him nopardon. But man is charged to forgive hisbrothers Luke 17.4. Forgize, thy brother feven times ; and Shrift bath taught us to pray for tint forgivenefs of our trefpaffes, as weforgive thofe that trefpafs againft us, Mat. 6. i2. l' anfwer, thereare two things in all fecongable fins ; Fit(' difobedience againft God ; Secondly injury to man that which man can, or is required to forgive,and be a pardoner of, is only the injury done unto himfelf, fo as not to revenge it , he cannot take off the fin againft God, or flay him from taking vengeance. ,But other Scriptures (peak of a power committed to man ,to re- mit and forgive tin, John 2o. 23. Whofefinsye remit areremited and whofefoeverJinsye retain they are retained. I anfwer, This power is not authoritative and magift erial, but niinifterial and declarative : God hath fet up fuch an inflitution, that man fhould pardon man, becaufe many men, yea moil men are not competent judges of their own eftates, whether they be fit for pardon or no : Many wicked men, would remit and loofen theznfelves when as their fins are to be retained; they feenot their fins, as another man may and doth fee them : The Apofile Peter could fay to Simon. Magus, AEts 8.23. Iperceive that thouart in the gall of bitterne(s , and ht the bond of iniquity ; Simon Magus
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