Of justification four disputations clearing and amicably defending the truth against the unnecessary oppositions…

THE Reader must understand that since the Writing of this, I have endeavoured to clear this point in my Directions for Peace of Conscience. To which now I add but this, that besides a Plenary Guilt or Remission, there seems to be a Guilt and Remission that are both but imperfect and of a middle sort: that is, that as in Peters act of sin, the habit of faith remained, so with his Guilt, a state of Justification remained: As none of his old sins returned on him, so the Covenant of Grace upon his Habitual Faith did hinder the Guilt from being Plenary or fixed, by beginning a Remission; I fear not to call it an imperfect Remission: The Law doth pronounce Death on a man for every sin, & it is so far in force as to determine that Death is both deserved and due to this man for this sin. But at the same instant, though after in order of nature, the Gospel that giveth pardon to Believers, doth give an Imperfect pardon to David, Peter and such Habitual Believers as soon as they sin, before Faith and Repentance for that sin be actual; and their Pardon will become plenary when they actually Repent and Believe. Their Sin is like the fault of a Kings Son or Subject, that in a Passion should strike the King, when yet Habitually he hath a loving Loyal heart to him. He deserveth Death, and by Law it may be his due; but he is a Son still, and the King will not take this advantage against him, though he will not fully pardon him, till he submit and lament his Fault. We are still the Children of God, notwithstanding those sins that go against the Habitual bent of our Hearts (for that's the Trial;) but must have actual Faith and Repentance before we shall have full pardon: Whether you will call that Pardon which the Promise giveth upon mere habitual Repentance, A virtual Pardon, and that which it giveth on actual Repentance, an actual Pardon; or what name you will give it, I leave to consideration; but complete it is not in a case of heinous sin, till Actual Repentance: Though it may be in a case of some unknown, ⟨p. 398⟩unobserved or forgotten infirmities. For the full condition is necessary to a full Pardon. He is near the case of a man that hath a Pardon granted him for Murder, but for want of some action to be performed, he hath not yet possession of it, and cannot yet plead it. If you ask me what should become of such a man, if he so die before Repentance; I answer. 1.

THE Reader must understand that since the Writing of this, I have endeavoured to clear this point in my Directions for Peace of Conscience. To which now I add but this, that besides a Plenary Guilt or Remission, there seems to be a Guilt and Remission that are both but imperfect and of a middle sort: that is, that as in Peters act of sin, the habit of faith remained, so with his Guilt, a state of Justification remained: As none of his old sins returned on him, so the Covenant of Grace upon his Habitual Faith did hinder the Guilt from being Plenary or fixed, by beginning a Remission; I fear not to call it an imperfect Remission: The Law doth pronounce Death on a man for every sin, & it is so far in force as to determine that Death is both deserved and due to this man for this sin. But at the same instant, though after in order of nature, the Gospel that giveth pardon to Believers, doth give an Imperfect pardon to David, Peter and such Habitual Believers as soon as they sin, before Faith and Repentance for that sin be actuall; and their Pardon will become plenary when they actually Repent and Believe. Their Sin is like the fault of a Kings Son or Subject, that in a Passion should strike the King, when yet Habitually he hath a loving Loyal heart to him. He deserveth Death, and by Law it may be his due; but he is a Son still, and the King will not take this advantage against him, though he will not fully pardon him, till he submit and lament his Fault. We are still the Children of God, notwithstanding those sins that go against the Habitual bent of our Hearts (for thats the Tryal;) but must have actual Faith and Repentance before we shall have full pardon: Whether you will call that Pardon which the Promise giveth upon meer habitual Repentance, A vertual Pardon, and that which it giveth on actual Repentance, an actual Pardon; or what name you will give it, I leave to consideration; but compleat it is not in a case of heynous sin, till Actual Repentance: Though it may be in a case of some unknown,