The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errors of Papists, Arminians,…The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errours of Papists, Arminians,…

First, It may be God will teach us hereby,¹ That Pardon of sin is not a necessary Effect of Repentance, but a gracious Gift bestowed, though not without it, yet not for it. Though therefore thy soul hath been deeply humbled, and is greatly reformed, yet God suspends the light of his favour upon thy soul, that thou mayest acknowledge it his Grace, not the merit of thy sorrow; where Causes do naturally produce an Effect, there it is a Miracle, if the one followeth not the other. If the fire do not burn, if the Sun stand still; if Peter walking on the water sink not. But it is no wonder, to see a true contrite heart without Assurance and Consolation. These may be separated, that so thou mayest be as humble with thy Graces, as if they were not at all. Yea God hath delighted sometimes in natural Causes to work the Effects without them, lest the glory should be given to the instruments. Hence he caused light to be before the Sun, and the earth is commanded to bring forth Herbs before any rain, that so God may be acknowledged all in all. If God do this in the order of natural things, how much more of supernatural? Yet this is not so to be pressed, as if therefore God would forgive sin without Repentance. No, God hath ordered a way inviolably and indispensably, wherein he will vouchsafe his Pardon, and no otherwayes. But although God out of his mere good will hath inseparably conjoined Repentance and Remission together, yet the Discovery or Promulgation of this unto the broken and contrite ⟨p. 200⟩heart, is altogether Arbitrary: And in this, as well as in other things, that speech is true, The wind bloweth where it listeth. Know therefore by these divine Dispensations, That though thou dost repent, Gods forgiveness is a mere gift of liberality, and no natural, necessary fruit of thy sorrow. Insomuch that setting Gods gracious Promise aside, whereby he is a Debtor unto his own faithfulness, after thy purest, and most perfect Humiliation for sin, God might refuse to take thy guilt away.

First, It may be God will teach us hereby,¹ That Pardon of sinne is not a necessary Effect of Repentance, but a gracious Gift bestowed, though not without it, yet not for it. Though therefore thy soul hath been deeply humbled, and is greatly reformed, yet God suspends the light of his favour upon thy soul, that thou mayest acknowledge it his Grace, not the merit of thy sorrow; where Causes doe naturally produce an Effect, there it is a Miracle, if the one followeth not the other. If the fire doe not burn, if the Sunne stand still; if Peter walking on the water sink not. But it is no wonder, to see a true contrite heart without Assurance and Consolation. These may be separated, that so thou mayest be as humble with thy Graces, as if they were not at all. Yea God hath delighted sometimes in natural Causes to work the Effects without them, lest the glory should be given to the instruments. Hence he caused light to be before the Sunne, and the earth is commanded to bring forth Herbs before any rain, that so God may be acknowledged all in all. If God do this in the order of natural things, how much more of supernatural? Yet this is not so to be prest, as if therefore God would forgive sin without Repentance. No, God hath ordered a way inviolably and indispensably, wherein he will vouchsafe his Pardon, and no otherwayes. But although God out of his meer good will hath inseparably conjoined Repentance and Remission together, yet the Discovery or Promulgation of this unto the broken and contrite