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,…

Now from hence we may justly take an occasion to handle that Question,¹ Whether God in pardoning do forgive all sins together? So that sins past, present and future are remitted together, for that is the opinion of some, That as soon as ever a man is actually entered into the Covenant of Grace, all his sins, even future, are actually forgiven, and that they are bound to believe the same, even before they actually repent of any iniquity committed. This at large Cornwall maintaineth in his Book of Gospel-repentance. Yea there are some learned and worthy Authors, who seem to incline this way. D. Ames in his Medulla, in the Chapter of Justification, saith, Not only the sins of justified persons that are past, are remitted, but also in some sort those that are to come, Neither (saith he) can sins past ⟨p. 245⟩and present be altogether and fully remitted, unless sins to come be in some sort remitted also. Only he makes this difference, sins past are remitted by a formal application, sins to come only virtually: sins past are remitted in themselves, sins to come in the subject or person sinning. But this in effect to say, they are not remitted, but that God by his Covenant of Grace, will as sins are committed, give Grace to repent, whereby there may be a forgiveness of them. This is to say rather, No sin shall hereafter actually condemn them, rather then to say, they are forgiven. Doctor Twice, Vindic. Gratiae, pag. 82. de Eurat. lib. 3. Quid si dicam in Justification nostra, &c. What if I say, in Justification, we receive the forgiveness of our sins, not only that are past, but of future also, that is, we are made more certain of their forgiveness. For (saith he) that internal act of God, whereby he doth remit sins, cannot be renewed in God. Certissimum esse judico, &c. I judge it most certain (as he goeth on) to whom God once doth forgive sins, to the same man he forgives all his sins whatsoever they are; of which absolution there is indeed a frequent pronunciation iterated to Penitents often in the Scripture. Thus that learned Author going upon those two grounds, 1. That Pardon of sin is an immanent act in God. 2. That application of Pardon to us, is no more then the sense and manifestation of that pardon, which was from all Eternity.

Now from hence we may justly take an occasion to handle that Question,¹