The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

Answ. 'Tis to pass Sentence of Absolution; to pronounce a Sinner righteous; 'tis God's Pardon, Remission of Sins; this appears from the Opposition mentioned it stands in unto Condemnation, as a Judge Pardons a Man when he saith he shall live; or as a Man manifestly forgives another when he gives him a Promise, or a Bill of Discharge; so that (note this by the Way that) our Justification is not God's eternal Purpose to forgive, but it is God's Sentence published, a Sinner is justified intentionally in Election, but not actually 'till this Sentence be past and published; the only Difficulty here is, Where this Sentence is pronounced; for Answer whereof note, that there is but a double Court wherein 'tis passed; 1. Publicly in the Court of Heaven, or in the Court-Rolls of the Word; (for there is no other Court of Heaven where God speaks, but this.) 2. Privately, in the Court of Conscience. By the first we are justified indeed from personal Guilt; by the second we feel our selves justified by the Removal of Conscience Guilt. The first is expressly mentioned, Acts 10.43. and Rom. 1.17. The second is expressly set ⟨p. 192⟩down also, Psal. 32.4. The first is the Cause and Foundation of the second; the second ariseth from the first: Otherwise, Peace of Conscience is a mere Delusion: The first is sometimes long before the second, Psal. 88.15. as the Sentence of Condemnation in the Word is sometimes long before a Man feels that Sentence in his own Conscience; the second comes in a long Time after in some Christians: The first is constant and unchangeable; the second very changeable: He that hath Peace in his Conscience to Day, may lose it by to Morrow. So that you are not (in seeking the Testimony of our Justification) to look for a Sentence from Heaven immediately pronounced of God, but look for it in the Court of his Word, (the Court of Heaven) which tho' we hear not, sometime, yet it rings and fills Heaven and Earth with the Sound of it, viz. There is no Condemnation to them that believe: For hereby the Lord mercifully provideth for the Pence of his People more abundantly. As when a poor Creditor is acquitted, or a Malefactor pardoned, I beseech you (saith he) let me have an Acquittance, a Discharge, a Pardon under your own Hand, and this quiets him against all Accusers: So 'tis here;