154 Some Sinners aeluallypardoned Pfal. 130. ,. JoJh. 24. 2, 3. and Paul who was a Perfecutor and a »laffhemer, Some after their Convertion. Some in fins of the fi:efh againa their Obedience, as David ; and tome in fins ofProff:?n againit faith, as Peter. Nothing then is more evident, than that no one of them carne to rcft with God but by forgivenefs. Had they never been guilty of any one fin , but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ , yet they could be raved no other way. For he that tranJgrefth the Law in any one point if guilty of the breach of the whole, James 2. 10. What fhall we now fay ? Do we think that God hath for. giveneß only for this or that individual perron ? No man que- ftions but that all theft were pardoned. Was it by vertue of any efpecial perfonal priviledge that was peculiar unto them? Whence fhould any fuch priviledge afire, feting bynature they were no better than others, nor would have been fo perfinally, had not they been delivered from tin, and .prepared for Obe- dience by Grace, Mercy and Pardon ? Wherefore they all ob- tained forgiveneß by vertue of the Covenant from the f rgiveneß which is with God. And this is equally ready for others, who come to God the fame way chat they did; that is, by faith and Repentance. 2. Many of thofe concerning whom we have theAtfurance mentioned, were not only finners, but great finners, as was Paid, which mutt be alfo mulled on , to obviate another objection. For fome may fay , that although they were (inners , yet they were not fuch frnners as we are. And although they obtained forgivanef?, yet this is no Argument that we (hall do fo alfo, who are guilty of other tins than they were, and thole attended with other Aggravations than theirs were. To which I fay, that I delight not in aggra- vating, nonor yet in Repeating the fins and faults of the Saints ofGod ofold. Not only the Grace of God, but the fins of men háve by fome been turned into lafcivioufneß; or been made a cloak. for their tufts. But yet for the ends and purports for which they are recorded by the Holy Ghoft, we may make mention of them. That they may warn us of our duty, that we take heed left we alto fall, that they mayyield us a relief under our furprizals, arc they written. So then where the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=