Gospel remission, or, A treatise showing that true blessedness consists in pardon of sin…Gospel remission, or, A treatise shewing that true blessedness consists in pardon of sin…

Secondly, Others say, I am not only sorry for my sins, but I reform; and is not this a ground of pardon? Know likewise, that there may be a leaving of sin, and yet sin not pardoned; for that take the example of Herod, 'tis said, He heard John Baptist gladly, and reformed in many things; he was a great deal the better for John's Ministry, and yet Herod was not pardoned: this is a notable example for you that come to hear Sermons, and seem to be much affected, let me ask you in the Name of God, and let Conscience answer, What is it you reformed since you heard all those Sermons of the Evil of Sin, and now of the Pardon of Sin? What Evils have you reformed in your families, and in your own hearts? I cannot but hope that many of you may say, through grace these and these evils were in my family before, but now I have reformed them; and these evils I did before, but now I have left them; I hope many can say so, and blessed be God for ⟨p. 152⟩this fruit of our Ministry if any thing be reformed, if Sabbaths be better kept, and Duties in family set up, and private Exercises of Religion performed; that you are not so proud, passionate, and froward as before: O that it may be said so, 'tis worth our labour to restrain sin, that God may not be so much dishonoured, if there were no more done: but we preach for further and higher ends, that souls would not stay in reforming; for Herod heard John Baptist, and did many things; and Judas cast away the money, he repented and would not keep the money, there was a kind of reformation in both Herod and Judas; but this is no ground to build upon for pardon of sin; As those that depended on their sorrow for pardon, built on the quagmire; so those that depend on their reformation, build upon the sand; the one by his sorrow and trouble for sin, seems as it were to be in the work of humiliation, is like a man that digs deep for a foundation, but does not cast out the old mould, but builds upon it; the other seems like one that not only digs deep, but casts out the old rubbish, and brings in new mould, new earth: lays by and casts away his former sins, and does the contrary good; but now, though they go further than the former in casting out the old rubbish, and bringing in of new earth, yet after all this is done they build upon it, and do not build upon the Rock Christ;

Secondly, Others say, I am not only sorry for my sins, but I reform; and is not this a ground of pardon? Know likewise, that there may be a leaving of sin, and yet sin not pardoned; for that take the example of Herod, 'tis said, He heard John Baptist gladly, and reformed in many things; he was a great deal the better for John's Ministry, and yet Herod was not pardoned: this is a notable example for you that come to hear Sermons, and seem to be much affected, let me ask you in the Name of God, and let Conscience answer, What is it you reformed since you heard all those Sermons of the Evil of Sin, and now of the Pardon of Sin? What Evils have you reformed in your families, and in your own hearts? I cannot but hope that many of you may say, through grace these and these evils were in my family before, but now I have reformed them; and these evils I did before, but now I have left them; I hope many can say so, and blessed be God for