The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin…

Sixthly,¹ Forgiveness of sin, is accompanied with holy endeavours for the mortification of sin: he that hath the guilt of sin pardoned, labours to have the power of sin destroyed; therefore in Scripture pardoning mercy and subduing grace, they are both joined together, Mic. 7. 19. He wi• turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea: there is subduing grace, as well as pardoning mercy. Beloved if God pardon sin there are real endeavours in a soul to have the power of sin taken away. Indeed many men in the world do lay claim to pardon, who never have endeavours, and holy pursuits after mortification: many have counterfeit mortification, who play with their sins like Fencers; which it may be given them a touch, a slight blow, but do not fight like warriors, either to kill or to be killed: but godly men do not play with their sins, but do with their lusts as a warrior, they do conflict with lusts on these terms, that either we must kill them, or they will kill us. Many counterfeit Christians who do lay claim to real pardon, have but counterfeit mortifications; I may fitly resemble such men as these to the Persians, who had one Festival annually where in they used this custom, that they laboured to find out all their venomous creatures, as Snakes, Serpents and the like: and one day in the year they would kill all which they found, but afterwards they let them increase. Many men in some solemn performances to God, will make great ado of killing their lusts, but afterwards they let them increase and live again. And thus much for the six-Concomitants that do attend a person in a pardoned state.

Sixtly,¹ Forgivenesse of sin, is accompanied with holy endeavours for the mortification of sin: he that hath the guilt of sin pardoned, labours to have the power of sin destroyed; therefore in Scripture pardoning mercy and subduing grace, they are both joyned together, Mic. 7. 19. He wi• turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea: there is subduing grace, as well as pardoning mercy. Beloved if God pardon sin there are reall endeavours in a soul to have the power of sin taken away. Indeed many men in the world do lay claim to pardon, who never have endeavours, and holy pursuits after mortification: many have counterfeit mortification, who playwith their sins like Fencers; which it may be given them a touch, a slight blow, but do not fight like warriers, either to kill or to be kill'd: but godly men do not play with their sins, but doe with their lusts as a warrier, they doe conflict with lusts on these terms, that either wee must kill them, or they will kill us. Many counterfeit Christians who do lay claim to reall pardon, have but counterfeit mortifications; I may fitly resemble such men as these to the Persians, who had one Festival annually where in they used this custome, that they laboured to finde out all their venomous creatures, as Snakes, Serpents and the like: and one day in the year they would kill all which they found, but afterwards they let them encrease. Many men in some solemn performances to God, will make great adoe of killing their lusts, but afterwards they let them encrease and live again. And thus much for the six-Concomitants that do attend a person in a pardoned state.