not obtain it by any virtue of its own, but receives it as obained by the blood of Christ, Acts x. 43. Nor is it procured by a submission to the ordinance of water baptism: for though the three thousand are directed to be baptised in the name of Christ, for the remission of sins; and Saul was advised by Ananias, to arise, and be baptised, and wash away his sins, yet the meaning is not, as if remission of sin was to be obtained by baptism, or sinners to be cleansed from them by it; but that by means of this ordinance, they might be led to the sufferings, death, and bloodshed of Christ. 3. God can only forgive sin; it is his sole prerogative; it belongs to him, and to no other, Mark ii. 7. This appears from the nature of sin itself. Besides, if there was any other that could forgive sin, then there would be one equal to God; whereas, Who is a God like unto Him, that pardoneth iniquity? Mic. vii. 18. 4. Yet all the three Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, have a concern in it; the Father made an early provision for this blessing; Christ as the Advocate of his people calls for it; and the holy Spirit pronounces the sentence of it, in the con❤ science. 11. The impulsive moving cause of pardon, is the sovereign grace and mercy of God, through Christ, Eph. i. 7. Luke i. 77, 78. 111. The meritorious cause of it, is the blood of Christ, Heb. ix. 14. 1 John i. 7.

V. The effects of pardon, that is, when applied, are, 1. Peace of conscience; a peace that passeth all understanding, and is better experienced than expressed. 11. Cheerfulness of spirit: when the Lord says, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee! cheerfulness takes place; that countenance that looked dejected, smiles; and the bones that were broken, rejoice. 111. Comfort of soul; Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; cry unto her, that her iniquity is pardoned! Isai. xl. 1,2. 1v. Access to God with boldness and confidence, through the blood of Jesus: a sou! has a boldness to enter into the holiest of all. v. Attendance on divine worship, with pleasure and delight :this flows from a sense of forgiveness of sin, and is one end of it; There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest

be feared, that is, worshipped; for fear is put for worship, both inward and outward; and especially denotes serving the Lord with reverence, Heb. ix. 14. vi. Love to God and Christ is raised and increased; the poor woman in the gospel loved much, many sins having been forgiven her, Luke vii. 47. VII. Evangelical repentance, and the exercise of it, are much influenced by pardon of sin being applied: faith first looks to Christ, and beholds pardon through him; and then evangelical mourning and repentance follow upon it, Zech. xii. 10. VIII. Thankfulness of soul for such mercy: than which there cannot be a greater, Psal. ciii. 2, 3. Think with what grati-. tude and thankfulness, a condemned malefactor, just ready to be executed, receives his pardon from the king! with that, and much more, souls, sensible of sin, the demerit of it, and danger by, receive pardon of all their sins, through the blood of Christ, from the King of kings.

VI. The properties of pardon. I. It is an act of God's free grace; it is according to the riches of it; that is the plenty of it, which is abundantly displayed in it; and according to the multitude of his tender mercies, mercy being richly shewn forth in it, Psal. li. 1. 11. It is a point of justice; If we confess our sins, he faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 1 John i. 9. 11. It is a complete act; it is a forgiveness of all the sins and trespasses of God's people, not one is left unforgiven; and it is done simul and semel, together and at once; through the manifestation and application, may be made at different times, as wanted by believers. v. It is an act that will never be repealed; it is one of those gifts of grace which are without repentance: sins are removed from the pardoned sinner, as far as the East is from the West; God has cast them into the depths of the sea, and will never fetch them up again. v. It is one of the chief articles of faith, and blessings of grace; it stands the first of those benefits, on account of which, the Psalmist called upon his soul to bless God for, Psal. ciii. 2, 3.

VII. Answer some questions, relating to pardon of sin; which do not so naturally fall under any of the above heads. 1. Whether any sin is venial or pardonable in its own nature, and does not deserve eternal death? The reason of this question is the distinction the Papists make between venial and mortal sins. There is a difference of sins, some are greater, others lesser; see John xix. 11. yet every sin is mortal, or deserving of death: every sin is committed against God, and is objectively infinite, it is a breach of his law, and every disobedience to that has a just recompence of reward, he that offends in one point, is guilty of all. 11. Whether any sin will be forgiven in the world to come? The reason of this question is, because it is said of the sin against the Holy Ghost, that it shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come; the meaning of the expression is, that it shall never be forgiven; it is a phrase expressive of endless duration, that that sin shall always remain unpardonable, and does not suppose any thing concerning other sins; and therefore the answer to be returned to the question is, that there will be no forgivness of any sin at all in the other world. As for the sins of God's people, the reinission of them is perfect; and as for others, the door will be shut. 111. Whether the sins of par doned ones will be made known and exposed to others in the day of judgment? I think not; my reasons are because none but their good works are taken notice of in Matt. xxv. because it does not seem consistent with the nature of pardon; pardon of sin is expressed by a covering of it; it is a blotting them as a cloud; and when a cloud is broke to pieces and scattered it can never be collected together any more; the church will now descend from heaven as a bride adorned and prepared for her husband, and it seems quite out of all character, that he should suffer her faults, failings, sins, and transgressions to be exposed on her wedding-day. v. Whether it is now the duty of saints to pray for the pardon of sin? prayer itself is a moral duty, and incumbent on all, Acts viii. 22. But this comes not up to the question, which is, whether pardoned

sinners should pray for the pardon of sin? to which it may be answered, that either these pardoned ones have a comfortable sense and perception of the pardon of their sins, or they have

; if they have, they have no need, at present at least, to pray even for the manifestation of it, if they have not a comfortable view of it, which is sometimes the case of pardoned ones, as it was of the church when she said, We have trans gressed and rebelled, thou hast not pardoned, Lam. iii. 42. they will then see it both their duty and interest, Christ has directed to make a daily petition of it, that when we pray that God would give us day by day our daily bread, that he would also forgive us our sins, Luke xi. 3. 4. so David prayed, For thy name's-sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great, Psal. xxv. 11. so Daniel prayed for himself and others, Lord hear, O Lord forgive, Dan. ix. 19.

OF JUSTIFICATION.

PARDON of sin, and justification from it, are very closely connected; the one follows upon the other; according to the position of them in some passages of scripture, pardon is first and justification next; as in Acts xiii. 38, 39. and xxvi. 18. Though these are not to be separated, yet they are to be distinguished; and I should choose to consider them, not as distinct parts of the same thing, but as distinct blessings of grace; for though pardon and justification agree in some things, in others they differ. In some things they agree. efficient cause, God; Mark ii. 7. Rom. iii. 30. moving cause, the free grace of God, Eph. i. 7. III. In their procuring cause, the blood of Christ. iv. In the objects of it the same persons that are pardoned are justified, Rom. iv.6— 8. v. In their commencement and completion; pardon and justification commence together, and both are finished at once, and are not carried on in a gradual and progressive way, as sanctification is, Acts xiii. 39. VI. In the manner of actual enjoying them, which is in a way of receiving, and that by

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I. In their 11. In their

faith, Rom. v. 1-18. But though they agree in these things, in others they differ. I. Pardon is of men that are sinners, and who remain such, and may be called so, though pardoned sinners; but justification is a pronouncing persons righteous, as if they had never sinned. 11. Pardon takes away sin from The sinner but does not give him a righteousness, as justificaion does; pardon takes away the fil.hy garments; but it is Justification that clothes with change of raiment, Zech. ii. 4. II. Pardon frees from punishment, and an obligation to it, as it takes away guilt; The Lord hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die, 2 Sam. xii. 13. but does not entide to everlasting life, happiness, and glory: that justification does, Tit iii 7.

V. More is required for justification than for pardon; the Slood of Christ was sufficient to procure pardon, and did proEure it but to the justification of a sinner, the holiness of the human nature of Christ, the perfect obedience of his life, are nd must be imputed. v. The righteousness of Christ, by which men are justified, is the fulfilling of the law; not so Pardon; that does not fulfil the law, as righteousness does Rom. x. 4. vt. Pardon lies in the non-imputation of sin; justification in the imputation of righteousness; righteousness is imputed, but pardon is not, Rom. iv. 6, 7. vi. Justification passed on Christ, as the head and representative of his people; but not pardon, he was acquitted, discharged and justified, but not pardoned: such an expression would sound harsh, and be very unwarrantable, 1 Tim. iii. 16. vi. An innocent person, falsely charged, may be acquitted and justified, when he cannot be said to be pardoned; yea, such who need no pardon, as Adam did not in his state of innocence, and the elect angels in heaven; yet may be said to be justifi ed, that is, declared to be just and righteous: the doers of the law are justified.

The doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ, is a doctrine of great importance, Gal. i. 6, 7. Luther used to call it, articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesia, the article of the church, by which it stands or falls. This doctrine is the

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