III. The great Benefit of all that we receive by Christ, is the Forgiveness of Sins, 1. What is that? 2. We receive it only through the Blood of Chrift. 1. What is Forgiveness? 1. The Names in Scripture given to it. او 1. Remiffion, Apes, Acts ii. 38. Difmiffion, Releafing, Ifa. lxi. 1. 2. Mercifulness to our Sins, Heb. viii. 12. 3. Paffing over Sin, Rom. iii. 25, Пágsors. 7. Taking away and removing Sin, Pfal. 9. Blotting out Sin, Ifa. xliii. 25. c. xliv. 22. 10. Not imputing Sin, Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2. Rom. iv. 7, 8. But cafting it, as it were, into the Depth of the Sea; Mic. vii. 18, 19. 2. The Nature, Forgiveness is an Act of God's Grace, whereby he abfolves us from the Obligation to thofe Punishments, which by his Law are due to us for our Sins. 1. The general Nature: It is an Act of God's Grace. 1. Of God. 4 1. It is afcribed to him alone,, Exod. xxxiv, 7. Mark ii. 7. Ο 2. We 2. We are to ask it only of him, Matt.6. 12. 3. He alone juftifies, Rom. vii. 33. 4. Our Sins are only against him, Pfal. li. 4 2. Of his Grace, not Wisdom, Power, or Juftice, Ifa. xlii. 25. 3. It of God's Grace in Chrift, Epb. 1. vii. 2. The fpecifical Difference. 1. We are obliged to bear the Punishments due by God's Law to Sin, Gal. 3. 10. 2. God takes off that Obligation, 2 Sam. xii. 13. Mark iii. 28, 29. US E. 1. Pray daily for Pardon. 2. Truft in Chrift for it. ex IV. It is only by Chrift's Death, that we receive Forgiveness of Sins. 1. All Mankind is guilty before God, and fo obnoxious to his Wrath and Everlasting Punifhment, Rom. iii. 19. Gal. iii. 22. 2. Chrift, the eternal Son of God, was pleased to take the Nature of Man upon him, fo as to become both God and Man in one Per fon, Ifa. vii. 14. Rom. ix. 5. Phil. ii. 6, 7. 3. Chrift in this Nature was pleased to fuffer Difgrace, the Curfes of the Law, Gen. iii. 13, The Wrath of God, xxvii. 46. 4. Yea, an Ignominious, Accurfed, Gal. iii. 13. And painful, bloody Death And all for Sin, the only Caufe of Death, Christ suffered all this, not for himself, 1 Pet. ii. 22. c. iii. 18. Heb. vii. 26. but for us, who partake of that Nature in which he suffered, Ifa. liii. 5, 6. Rom. iv. 25. Gal. i. 4. 5. Thefe I Cor. XV. 3. 5. These the Sufferings of Chrift for us, were of greater Worth and Value, than if all Men had fuffered eternal Death, Acts xx. 28. 6. Hence God was pleafed to accept of them, as a fufficient Price of our Redemption, and Satisfaction to his Juftice for our Sins, Matt. ΧΧ. 28. Λύτρον ἀντι πολλῶν. η Tim. ii. 6. Eph. i. 6. 7. God's Juftice being thus fatisfied, he is reconciled unto us; and takes off our Obligations to Punishment, by Reafon of the Punishments which his own Son underwent for us; and therefore for his Sake is said to pardon or forgive our Sins, Rom. v. 10. Cal. i. 20. 2 Cor. v. 21. Matt. xxvi. 21. USE. 1. Hence we may learn, what Ground we have to truft in Chrift for Pardon, Rom. viii. 34. 2. Hence be advised, to make it your Business to get your Sins forgiven. Confidering, 1. How miferable you are without it. 1. God is conftantly angry with you, Pfal.vii.11. 2. You are in continual Danger of Hell and Damnation, Heb. X. 26, 27. 2. How happy with it, Pfal. xii. 1, 2. 1. Your Perfons accepted and juftified before God, Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2. compared with Rom. iv. 6, 7. 2. God reconciled unto you, and become your Friend, Rom. v. 1, 9, 10. 3. All Things work together for your Good, Rom. viii. 28. 4. You will be glorified, Rom. viii. 30. A CTs iii. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out. Μετανοήσαζε ὧν καὶ ἐπιτρέψατε. Repentance and Converfion is neceffary in Pardon. I. Conviction, John xvi. 8, 9. Acts ii. 37. 1. Contrary to God's Law, 1 John iii. 4. 2. Contrary to his Nature, Ifa. i. 13, 14. Hab. i. 13. 3. Offenfive to his Majefty, Ifa. iii. 8. Pfal. XCV. IO, II. 4. Deftructive to the Soul, Gal. iii. 10. Tit. i. 15. Separating it from God, and fo from all Good, Ifa. lix. 2. Jer. v. 25. 5. The fole Caufe and Procurer of all the Mifery in the World, Pfal. cvii. 17. 2. Of our own Guiltinefs of Sin. 1. Original, Pfal. li. 5. 2. Actual, Pfal. li. 4. 1. In our Heads. 1. Error in Judgment, 2 Pet. ii. 1. 2. Ignorance of Mind, Ifa.i. 2, 3. Fer.iv. 22. 3. Vanity of Thoughts, Gen.vi. 5. Fer.iv.14. 2. In our Hearts, Jer. xvii, 9. 1. Perverfeness of our Wills, Ifa. xxx. 15, 16. Matt. xxiii, 37. 2. Disorders of our Affections and Paffions, 2 Tim. iii. 4. Col. iii. 2. 3. In 3. In our Tongues, Pfal. xxxiv. 13. Matt. xii. 36. 4. Our Hands and Actions, 1. Towards God. 2. Towards Men. 3. Of the Aggravations of our Sins. As committed, 1. Against God, 1. The Father, 1 Sam. ii. 25. Ifa. iii. 8, 3. The Holy Ghoft, Rev,iii, 20. 1 Thes, v. 19, 2. Against frequent Reproofs, Jer. xxix. 18, 19. Prov, xxix. I. 3. Against Light, John iii. 19. 4. Against Vows and Refolutions, Pfal. lxvi. 13, 14. Ecclef. v. 4. II. In Contrition for Sin, Pfal. li. 17. Ifa. lvii. 15. c. lxvi, 2, 2 Cor. vii. 9, 10. Which Sorrow or Contrition fhould be, 1. Hearty, Joel ii. 13. Pfal. li. 17. 2. Sincere, or upon right Grounds; because offenfive to God, Luke xv. 21, 3. Univerfal, Pfal. xix. 12. 4. Exceeding all other Sorrow, Zech. xii, 10, 12. 5. Accompanied with Shame and Confufion of Face, Ezek, xxxvi. 31, 32. III, Confeffion of Sin, 1 John i, 9, 1. Cordial, Rom. x. 10. 2. Humble, Ezra ix. 6, c. x. I. Neh. ix. 1, 2. Luke xviii. 13. |