A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Name: A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures
Author: Ezekiel Hopkins

A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures by Ezekiel Hopkins ...

Ezekiel Hopkins 1634–1690London: printed by E.H. for Nathanael Ranew, 1693

[13], 314, [2], 82 p. · 77k words · Wing H2735 · ESTC R37910

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Sermon 5: OF PARDON AND Forgiveness of SIN, &c.

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.

[ Earlier:362–377 of 462

:362p. 5–6

First,¹ That our Transgressions are written down, and written they are in a two-fold Book; the one is in the Book of God's Remembrance, which he blots ⟨p. 6⟩out when he justifies a sinner: The other is the Book of our own Consciences which he blots out when he gives us peace and assurance; and oftentimes these follow one upon the other: When God blots his Remembrance-Book in Heaven, that blot diffuseth and spreads it self even to the Book of Conscience, and blots out all that is written there also. Man blots his Conscience by committing sin, but God blots it by pardoning it: He lays a blot of Christ's Blood upon a blot of our guilt, and this is such a blot as leaves the Conscience of a sinner purer and cleaner than it found it.

First,¹ That our Transgressions are written down, and written they are in a two-fold Book; the one is in the Book of God's Remembrance, which he blots ⟨p. 6⟩out when he justifies a sinner: The other is the Book of our own Consciences which he blots out when he gives us peace and assurance; and oftentimes these follow one upon the other: When God blots his Remembrance-Book in Heaven, that blot diffuseth and spreads it self even to the Book of Conscience, and blots out all that is written there also. Man blots his Conscience by committing sin, but God blots it by pardoning it: He lays a blot of Christ's Bloud upon a blot of our guilt, and this is such a blot as leaves the Conscience of a sinner purer and cleaner than it found it.

1That sin is written.

:363p. 6–7

Secondly, Blotting out of Transgression implies a legal discharge of the Debt. A Book that is once blotted and crossed, stands void in Law; whatever the Sum and Debts were before, yet the crossing of the Book signifies the payment of the Debt. So is it here, I will blot out thy Transgressions; that is, I will acquit thee of all thy Debts, I will never charge them upon thee, I will dash them all out, I will not leave so much as one Item, not one sin legible against thee. This is the proper meaning of this Expression

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36