A PraCiicalExpojition as the_ Officer_ and ~effenger of GodJ declares that it is he alone who Pardons and Abfolves Pemtent _Sm~ers. ~ fraEhce .as far f!om bordering upon the intolerable Arrogance of .Anuchrijl, as u ts on the other Stde from yielding enough to th prefs Authority ofChrift, to adj_udg~ it vain an~ f~uirlefs: As it is the Prince e~~~~ Pardons, the Herald only proclaims It ; fo here, It IS God only who pardons Sinne the Minifter's Part is in a Solenm and Official Manner to Pronounce and . Proclaim t~~~ Pardon to all that !hall accept it upon the Terms on which ir iS offered by Go • IS and this may fuflice in Anfwer to that Objdlion. " But then again it may he ObjeOed, How is it God alone who forgives Sins whereas we likewife are hound to forgive thofe that ttefpafi again!t us? , . To this l.An~wer, Every Trefpafs againft Man i~ a~fo an Olfeticc again !I God, for fo Merciful 1sourGod unto us that he bath taken hls Crea:tutes under the ProH teElion of his Law, and fenced us round with the ll.uthOrity of his Commands fo that no Injury can reach us, but it muft commit a Trefpafs upon the Divine L~w a~d break throug~ thofe Boun?s that God bath fet •.bout every Man's Propriety and R1ght to defend tt agamft unJuft Invaders; bu>,yet tfany lhall dare to violate this we mu(l forgive them fo far fonh as it is ·a Wrong to us, (as J fhall fhew more largelY flereafter;) but wecannm pretend to forgive the Wrong that they have done ro God in wronging us; but this mu(l be left between him and their own Souls, to his Mercy and their Repentance. . If then it be the Prerogative of God alone to pardqn Sin, hence we may for our abundanr Comfort be informed, Fir!l, That our Pardon is Free and Gratuitous ; for whatfoever God doth he dotb ft freely, for his owni'ake, without refpetl: to any former Defens, or Expeflations of any future Recompence. It is infinitely below the Sovereignty of his Grace ro admit ofany other Motive for his Mercy, but his Mercy; and therefOre he bath told us, 1 will be Gracious to whom I will bt Gratior11, and 1 will jhew Mercy to rehom I Will fhew Mercy, Exod. H· 19. Since it is a Uod that Pardons, it is infi'nitely unwor· thy of his Glory and Maje(ly to Sell his Pardons and Indulgencies, and to make · his Mercy Merchandize. But yet this Pardoning Grace ofGod, r it be free in refpe£1 of Purchafe, yet is it limited to Conditions in refpe£\: of ' tion, which Conditions are Faith and· Repentance. Wbofoever Believes in him Remiffion of Sirts, Aas 10. 43 · Repent, fays the ApolUe, that your Sins tnay be blotted out when the Timu ofRejrrjbH · ing jhali come, AEts 3· 1 9· Think not therefore, 0 Soul, ~ when tby Confcience is op'· prefs•d with the Guilt of Sin, think- not what Expiation thou muft make, what Ran· iOm tbou mufi: pay, to God? S1y not, Wherewith /hali I come before the Lord, or bow '"YJelf before tbe High God! Shall I come before him with Burm-Offiringr, with Calvu' of a Tear Old! Will theLord be plcafedwith Thoujandr of"Rumr, or with Ten TbouJand Rivtrr of Oil! Sba/1 Igive my ~lrf/·bont for "'1 Tranjgref]ion,the Fruit ofmy Body for rbe Sin of my Soul! As the Prophet fpeaks, Mrcah 6. 6, 7· What !hall I do, or what {haIll ofkr to make Amends and Recompence for my Offimces 1This is to be in· jurious to the F'ree Grace of God, which re'iuires no Satisfaaion from thee, only thy prcfenr Acceptance and fu~ure Reformation: .This is that indeed which God requires from. 1hee; hu.t to tht~k to Purchafe h1s. Favou~, and t.o Buy his Mercy, is infimtely to d1fparage rt; and they only JUdge t~ghrly of tt . who judge it invaluable. ~ccondiY. 1t is God that Pardons, therefore our Pardon is full and compleat. Indeed tlwif~ AEls that God works within us are in this Lilo imperfe£1. The lllu. mination 'of our Minds, the Sanai'fication of our Hearts, are God's Works wit bin us and theft: are defeEtive · not as they come from God, but as they are receivec;V in 'us : As we know but in' Part, fo we are fantlified but in Part. But thoff: AEls ofGod that h~ doth not work in us, · hue only terminate upon ns, of which we are the ObjeOr, but not the SuhjtOs, they ate all asperfe£1 here as they !hall be to all Erernity: Thus Godjullilies, Adopts, and Pardons, fully and complearly, for thefe are AEls of God reftding in his own Breafl, where they meet With noOppo~ fition or Allay . nor do they increafe br any fmall Degrees as our SanElification dOth, but are a t 1 once as perfeEl: as ever they fhall Pe: I do not inean, (though fome have forhought and taught) that God doth at once Pardon all the Sins of a Twe Believer as well thofe which for ~he future be fhall commit~ ;IS thofe ~bi~h he hath already commiued, which is an abfurd and dangerous Tenet; as tf Sm . m~
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