Chap. 7. 4uExpofation upon the Bookof J O e"rCu r. 715 Magus did not perceive it, hedid not know his own condition, he flatter'dhind -cif, and thought all well, b:caufe lately fprinckled with the water ofBaptifine ; therefore Tome mutt declare there then bound, and hold them thil under tin. Again, There are others, whole hearts are upright and tinette fuch as are indeed reconcieflento God, and all whole fins are pardo- ned but, they ate not able to make it out, and they cannot create up this thing from the word to their own hearts : therefore they need a helper , to declare thempardoned, for they cannot fpeake or declare it to their own fouls : to Each cafes, both for the conviction otprefuming fanners, and the help of upright harted, yet weak and doubting Chrittians, God hath Left this power with his Minitters, whofe fansye remit they are remitted, and whofe fins ye retails arerer joined. As in the cafe of ',probe, Lev.' 5. TheLeper was brought to the Piiells,and fet before him as a Judge in that point;manywere not competent Judges of thereone diteares,they could not refolve it, whether they had the leprotie or no, fome perceiving a fcab or a fore riling upon them,thought,prefently )it was the leprotie, when indeed it was not, and fo wronged thetrlelves ; Others who were indeed infccted,would not be perfwaded that they were, therefore the Priefts office was,to determine there cafes, to bind and reftrain, ro loofen and let them go, as he law caufe, In which- ceremonial pradice, we have the fhadow of this Gofpel practile, inthe power of remittingor retaining, of bindingor of loofing tin, according to the various conditions of men. Yet all this while God keepeth the great work inhis o vn hand, heis the pardoner,and therefore Job(as the whole tenour of the Scripture rules it )made his addrefs to him, why doeff not thou pardon my tranfgreffion, and take away mine iniquity ! Secondly, From thefe exfr.fftonsabout the pardon of fin, we may learn what the pardon of fin is ; Pardon of fin, is the removing or the lifting off, thepaOF naway the (infrom thefanner; that pro- perly is pardon of tin. Scripture language is very various and copiousabout this thing, and yet all runs into this general ; l [hall infìance Come of them. Firft, Pardon is often expreffed by a Metaphor from p tying of a debt,' JoAn.a.12, Iwrite unto you, little Children, becaufe your fins are frogivenyou the word notes, your fins are paid, your debts are fatisfied',the fame word the Apofile daft; Rom. g. 32 in reference to the fuffering of Chrid, God feared not YYYl hip
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=