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,…

¹And thus much for the Negative, we come to the Affirmative; and in the general we say,

1. 1The Question answered affirmatively.

A godly man committing such a gross sin, till he doth repent, §1is in a state of suspension from all the effects of Gods Grace in Justification, though not of abdication, or exheredation. He is under Sequestration, though not Ejection; he is under an interdiction, though not an exile. He is as Absalom, that was cast out of his fathers family, though not from being a son. The English Divines expressed it well in the Synod of Dort, by a leper, who was shut out from his own house, so that although he had a right to his house, yet he had no claim by any law to enjoy his house: So though a godly man have a right to pardon of sin, yet he cannot claim this as due to him, as long as the guilt of sin abideth on him. Hence that is expounded, Purge me with hyssop, as an allusion to the leper, who in such a manner was cleansed, not that this state is to be conceived a third estate between a state of Justification and Condemnation, but a suspending of the benefits of the former. In which sense a godly man justly cast out by Church-officers for a sin, is said to have his sins bound in Heaven. And in this respect Zanchy saith, he doth, Quodammodo excidere à gratiâ Dei, and that they are made, quasi inimici, as it were enemies. Thus Perkins also, Upon the committing of such sins, saith he, God turneth the effects of his grace, into the effects, cujus dam odii, of a kind of hatred to their sins, so that quodammodo fiunt inimici Dei. Now that the terror of this condition may more fasten on the godly to make them cautelous against such falls, let us consider what particulars this general doth include.

A godly man committing such a gross sin, till he doth repent, §1