A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

First, Pardon and Remission of sin, ¹is no Act of ours, but an Act of God's only. It is nothing done by us, or in us, but an Act of God's free Grace, merely without us, and therefore God ascribes it wholly unto himself, I even I am he. And when our Saviour cured the Paralytic, the Scribes storm at him as a Blasphemer, thou blasphemest, say they to him, not knowing him to be God; for who, say they, can forgive sins but God only?

First, Pardon and Remission of sin, ¹is no Act of ours, but an Act of God's only. It is nothing done by us, or in us, but an Act of God's free Grace, meerly without us, and therefore God ascribes it wholly unto himself, I even I am he. And when our Saviour cured the Paralytick, the Scribes storm at him as a Blasphemer, thou blasphemest, say they to him, not knowing him to be God; for who, say they, can forgive sins but God only?

1. 1Pardon of sin an Act of God's only.

But be it an Act of God's only, and not ours, and an Act wholly without us, what Comfort is there in this? yes much, and that upon these Grounds; because God's Acts within us are always imperfect in this Life, but God's Acts without us, are always perfect and consummate. Sanctification is a work of God's Grace within us: Now this because it meets with much opposition in every Faculty, from inherent sin, which spreads it self over the whole Soul; therefore this work is always in this Life kept low and weak. But Pardon of sin, is an Act without us, in the breast of God himself, where ⟨p. 50⟩it meets with no opposition nor allay nor doth it increase by small degrees but is at once as perfect and entire, a• ever it shall be. I do not mean, a• some have thought and taught, That God at once pardons all the sins of true Believers, as well those they do, or shall commit, as those that they have already committed: but only, That what sin God pardons, he doth not pardon then gradually. There is nothing left o Guilt upon the Soul, when God pardons it; but there is something left o Filth upon the Soul, when God sanctifies it. And therefore, as it is the grief of God's Children, That their inherent Holiness is so imperfect here, that they are so assaulted with Temptations, so dogged by Corruption, so oppressed and almost stifled to Death by a body of sin that lies heavy upon them; yet this, on the other side, may be for their Comfort and Encouragement, That God's pardoning Grace is not as his sanctifying Grace is, nor is it granted to them by the same stint and measure. A sin truly repented of, is not pardoned to us by halves, half the Guilt remitted, and half retained, as