A30582:75
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…
Gospel remission, or, A treatise showing that true blessedness consists in pardon of sin wherein is discovered the many Gospel mysteries therein contained, the glorious effects proceeding from it, the great mistakes made about it, the true signs and symptoms of it, the way and means to obtain it / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being several sermons preached immediately after those of The evil of sin by the same author, and now published by Philip Nye ... [et al.]Gospel remission, or, A treatise shewing that true blessedness consists in pardon of sin wherein is discovered the many Gospel mysteries therein contained, the glorious effects proceeding from it, the great mistakes made about it, the true signs and symptomes of it, the way and means to obtain it / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being several sermons preached immediately after those of The evil of sin by the same author, and now published by Philip Nye ... [et al.]
London: printed for Dor. Newman, 1668
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Of the tenth Mystery, God pardons a sinner, not because he is; but that he might be changed.
Of the tenth Mystery, God pardons a sinner, not because he is; but that he might be chang'd.
10. The tenth Mystery is this, (for I would endeavour to show you what a mighty work Pardon of Sin is, and raise up your hearts to have higher thoughts of it than ever you had before) God does not pardon because a sinner hath his heart and nature changed, but that he might be changed. And thus the pardons of God differ from all other pardons; a Prince pardons a Malefactor, or a Father a Child: but upon what terms? a Prince expects his Subject should be changed as far as he can discern; and a Father, (though never so tender) will not pardon a Child, unless he come in and manifest a change of his disobedient spirit, and then he pardons. God doth not pardon because we are changed; but that we might be changed: his Pardon comes first, Rom. 4.5. a very strange place for this, and may encourage any poor soul that is troubled for sin, to come in and lay hold upon Gods mercy in Christ; But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted unto him for righteousness. Mark, when God comes to justify a sinner, ⟨p. 26⟩he looks upon him as ungodly; he stays not till the sinner be made godly and then justifies him, as a Prince stays till a Malefactors heart be changed, and he become a loyal subject, and then pardons him: God is not so in justifying souls, he justifies the ungodly; one that is ungodly coming to him, he justifies. This is a mighty Argument, I name it for this end; because I would teach people, that notwithstanding any sin or guilt that lies upon their spirits, yet they have a liberty to come in and lay hold upon Christ for Justification; do not say, I am ungodly, I am a great sinner, and have a vile heart, and I find not my nature changed; and therefore, How dare I lay hold upon Gods grace for mercy and pardon? yea, thou mayst because God justifies the ungodly; though thy nature be not changed and sanctified, as thou sayest: take it thus, Thou must lay hold of Gods grace for Justification that thou mayst be sanctified; not only pardoned, but sanctified: Come but thus with thy heart affected to close with the grace of God, that thou mayst be sanctified as well as pardoned; though for the present thou feelest not any Sanctification, yet thou mayst have right to lay hold upon Christ as well as any one whatsoever.