An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 56. I verily think, that were their verbal and notional differences discussed, and men understood themselves and one another, it will prove, that this aforesaid is the true meaning of almost all Christians, and that they agree in this sense, while they mischievously contend about ill or unexplained words.

§. 56. I verily think, that were their verbal and notional differences discussed, and men understood themselves and one another, it will prove, that this aforesaid is the true meaning of almost all Christians, and that they agree in this sence, while they mischievously contend about ill or unexplained words.

§. 57. What I have said of Justification, is mostly true of Pardon of Sin: Pardon is threefold, 1. Constitutive, which is God's giving us a Right to Impunity: This is God's act by the pardoning Covenant or Law of Grace. 2. By Sentence, judging us so pardoned. 3. Executive, taking off, or not inflicting Punishment deserved.

§. 58. God's non punire, and nolle punire, not punishing and his will not to punish, are true pardon when the Sinner, and Sin and Guilt are preexistent: But they are no pardon before; because not capable of such a relation and denomination for want of a real terminus. Therefore God's eternal will to pardon, or his not punishing man from Eternity before Man was Man, or sinful, must have no such name; which afterward it may have without any change in God, but in man only.

§. 58. God's non punire, and nolle punire, notpunishing and his will not to punish, are true pardon when the Sinner, and Sin and Guilt are preexistent: But they are no pardon before; because not capable of such a relation and denomination for want of a real terminus. Therefore God's eternal will to pardon, or his not punishing man from Eternity before Man was Man, or sinful, must have no such name; which afterward it may have without any change in God, but in man only.