Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

Duties refpetting the fifth petition in our lives. thofe that travail under the burden of finne, and are weary thereof r If therefore God hath given thee an humble heart, thou mayeft be encouraged to come unto him for grace and pardon of finnes. For as it was faid of the blind man, fo it may be faid of every one that is poore in fpirit, Be of good comfort; he calleth thee. But as humility maketh us fit to re- ceive Gods grace in the pardoning of our finnes, fo is it alfo a good figne that our finnes are pardoned. For they onely are happy whofe fins are forgiven: but thofe that are Poore in fpirit are happy, Matth.5. 3 . therefore their finnes are forgiven. Whereas con- trariwife, if we be proud and have a Pharifaicall conceit of our felves, it is a fearfull figne that we re- main in our finnes, John 9.41. Luke 1 8.14. I I. If we would have forgiveneffe of our finnes Z we mutt wemull believe in Chrift. For by faith alone we c; j ,'m have juftification and remiflion of finnes , Acts 26. 18. becaufe faith alone apprehendeth the merits and righteoufneffe of Chrift whereby we are juftified. Now this and the former mull go together : We mull be call down in our felves, acknowledging our felves that we are no better in our felves then the firebrands of hell: and yet withall we mull relie up- on Chrift and his merits, being perfwaded that not - withflanding our manifold finnes, yet the Lord will receive us into his love and favour , imputing unto us the righteoufneffe of his Sonne, and covering us therewith as with a garment. If thus we believe in Chrift we need not doubt of the pardon of our fins; becaufe Chrift having fatisfied the juftice of his Fa- ther for all the finnes of them which believe in him, Bb 2 the 371