the woman's sorrows, the pain and stroke of death. 2. Temporal, correcting punishments are not all forgiven. 3. Some measure of sin is penally permitted in us. 4. The want of more holiness and help of God's Spirit, and communion with God, is to all of us a sore punishment. 5. The permission of many temptations from devils and men are punishments, specially when they prevail to heinous sinning. 6. To be so long kept out of heaven, and to lie after in the grave, are punishments. Sure few men believe that pardon is here perfect, that feel any of these. 7. And it is not perfect, till we are justified before the world, and put in possession of salvation: that is the perfect pardon.b

Q. 8. But some say, that chastisements are no punishments. A. They are not damning, destructive punishments, but they are chastising punishments; for they are evil to nature, inflicted by fatherly, correcting justice, for sin.

Q. 9. Is that an evil which always bringeth greater good? A. It is no such evil as sinners should repine at. But ask any of that opinion, under the stone, or other tormenting disease, or if he must die as a malefactor, whether it be not a natural evil? If there be no evil in it, why doth he groan under it, why doth he pray against it, or use physic, or other remedies? Why is he offended at those that hurt him? Had he not rather have his holiness and salvation without torment, prisons, &c., than with them.

2. But it is not true, that all the punishments of such as are saved make them better; some are permitted to fall into heinous sin, and to decline in their faith, love, and obedience, and to die worse than once they were; and so to have a less degree of glory, when they have been hurtful scandals in the world. And is there no harm in all this? Nothing is perfect in this imperfect world."

Q. 10. How are Christ's merits and satisfaction perfect then? A. That is perfect which is perfectly fitted to its use; it was not a use that Christ ever intended, to pardon all temporal, correcting punishment, nor to make each believer perfect the first

b I think no man that felt what I feel, at the writing of this, in my flesh, and for my friends, can possibly think that pardon is perfect in this life. Jam. v.15; Luke vi. 37; Matt. xii. 31; Jos. xxiv. 19; Matt. vi. 12, 14; 2 Kings xxiii, 26, 27; Matt. xviii. 32.

2 Sam. vii. 14; Psalm lxxiii. 14, and exviii. 18; 1 Cor. xi. 32; Jer. xxxi. 18; Heb. xii. 8-10; 2 Cor. ii. 6; Lam. iii. 39; Job xxxi. 11; Amos iii. 2; Matt. xvi. 23.

hour. That our greatest sins should go unpunished is against Christ's will and kingly government, and the nature of his salvation; and his righteousness and satisfaction are not intended against himself.d

Q. 11. What sins are pardoned? Is it all, or but some?

A. All sin is pardoned, though the pardon be not perfect at first, to all true penitent believers. But final impenitence, unbelief, and unholiness, never had a pardon purchased or offered; but that which is not final is forgiven; yea, no sin is actually forgiven, as to the everlasting punishment, to final impenitents and unbelievers.e

Q. 12. Are sins pardoned before they are committed?

A. If you call the mere purpose or purchase a pardon unfitly, or you speak but of the general act of oblivion, which pardoneth all men on condition that they penitently and believingly accept it, so sins to come are pardoned: but (not to strive about words) no one hath any actual, proper pardon for any sin before it is committed; for it is no sin, and so no pardoned sin.f

Q. 13. When is it that sin is pardoned?

A. God's purpose is eternal; the conditional pardon was made when the covenant of grace was made; some degrees of punishment God remitteth by common and preparatory grace. But saving pardon none receive (at age) till they believe, nor are they justified."

Q. 14. Why do we pray for pardon daily, when sin is already pardoned?

A. 1. I told you, sin is not pardoned when it is no sin; we sin daily, and, therefore, must have daily pardon. And this also proveth, that pardon and justification are not perfect before death, because there are more sins still to be pardoned. 2. And we pray for the continuance of the pardon we have, and for removal of punishments.

Q. 15. Is this the meaning of this article, that "I believe my own sins are actually forgiven," as a divine revelation?

A. The meaning is: 1. That by Christ a certain degree of punishment is taken off from all mankind, and they are not dealt with according to the rigour of the law of innocent nature. 2. And that a conditional pardon is given to all in the new cove

a Phil. iii. 12, 13; 1 Pet. v. 10; 1 Cor. xiii. 10; 2 Cor. vii. 1; Prov. viii. 36; 1 John i. 8, and v. 17.

e Matt. xii. 32; Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7; Luke xiii. 3,5; John iii. 16; Mark xvi. 16. f Matt. xviii. 32; 2 Cor. v. 19; Matt. vi. 12.

Heb. i. 3; John iii. 16, 18, 25; Rom. iv. 2, and v. 1.

nant so far as it is revealed. 3. And that this pardon becometh actual to every one when he penitently and believingly consenteth to the (baptismal) covenant with Christ. 4. And that this pardon is offered to me as well as others, and shall be mine if I be a sincere believer; this is all that the article containeth. 5. But while I profess to believe, it is supposed that I hope I do it sincerely, and, therefore, have some hope that I am pardoned. 6. But because a man may sincerely believe, and yet doubt of the sincerity, and God hath no where said in Scripture, that I or you are sincere believers, or are pardoned; therefore to believe this is no divine faith, save by participation; nor is it professed. by all that profess the creed. But it is an effect of two acts: 1. Of our faith. 2. And of the conscience of our sincerity in believing; it is a conclusion that all should labour to make sure, though it be not the proper sense of the article.

Q. 16. Seeing all true believers are at first justified and pardoned as to the everlasting punishment, doth it not follow, that all God's children have afterward none but temporal chastisement to be forgiven?

A. 1. I told you that sin is not forgiven, even to stated believers, before it is committed; and when it is committed, the qualifying condition must be found in us; and though our first true faith and repentance qualify us for the pardon of, all sin past, yet when more is committed, more is required in us to our pardon, that is, that we renew repentance and faith as far as sin is known, and that we beg pardon and forgive others. 2. Yet the future punishment is not so much unforgiven to the faithful as to others, before renewed repentance; for they have the main qualification, and want but an act for which they are habituated, and have God's Spirit to assist them. 3. And though sins unknown, which are ordinary infirmities, are forgiven without express, particular repentance, yet, in order of nature, the desert of punishment goeth before the forgiveness; the very law of nature maketh durable punishment due to durable souls, till the dueness be remitted by forgiveness.i

Q. 17. Is my sin forgiven, as long as I believe it not forgiven?' A. If you believe not that God is a merciful, pardoning God, and Christ a pardoning Saviour, whose sacrifice and merits are sufficient, and God's promise of pardon to the penitent believer

h 2 Sam. xii. 12, 13; Psalm 1., and xxxii.

1 Psalm xxxii; xxv., and li.; Matt. xviii. 32, and vi. 14, 15; 1 John i. 9; Acts viii. 22.

is true, and to be trusted, you are not pardoned; but if you believe this, and consent to Christ's pardoning covenant, you are pardoned, though you doubt of your own forgiveness.

Q. 18. How may I be sure that I am forgiven?

A. The everlasting punishment is forgiven, when you are one that God by his covenant pardoneth, and that is, when by true faith and repentance you consent to the covenant terms, and give up yourself to God, as your God, and Saviour, and Sanctifier. And when temporal punishments are remitted in soul or body, experience of their removal may tell you.k

Q. 19. What keepeth up doubts of forgiveness of sin?

A. 1. Ignorance of the terms of the pardoning covenant. 2. And ignorance of ourselves and our own sincerity. 3. Especially renewing our guilt by sin, and being so defective in our repentance, and other grace, as that we cannot be sure of our sincerity; above all, when frequent sinning after God's promises makes us not creditable to ourselves.

Q. 20. But is not the cure of a doubting soul to believe, though he find no evidence in himself; and that because he is commanded to believe, and so believing will be his evidence?

A. Believing is a word that signifieth divers acts. As I told you, it is every man's duty to believe God's mercy, and Christ's redemption and sufficiency, and the truth of the conditional promise,' and to accept pardon, as offered on the terms of that promise, and then not to cherish doubts of his sincerity. But it is not every man's duty to believe that he is sincere, or that his sin is pardoned; else most should be bound to believe an untruth that it may after become true. Presumption destroyeth far more than despair; for an ungodly, impenitent person to believe that he is godly, and justified by Christ, is to believe himself, who is a liar, and not to believe Christ; yea, it is to believe himself against Christ, who saith the contrary.

Q. 21. What is the use of this article of the forgiveness of sin? A. The use is exceeding great; not to embolden us in sin, because it is pardonable, nor to delay repentance and forsaking sin, for that were to cast away pardon by contempt. But, 1. to show us what a merciful God we serve. 2. And what a mercy it is to have a Redeemer, and a pardoning Saviour. 3. And what a comfort to be under a pardoning covenant of grace.

* John iii. 16; Rom. x. 14.

m

I Mark iii. 28; Acts v. 31.

Jer. xxxi. 34, and xxxvi. 3; Luke vii. 12, 13; Acts xxvi. 18; Eph. i. 7; Col. i. 14.

4. And it tells us that the review of the sins of our unregenerate state, though they must keep us humble, should yet be still used to raise our hearts to joyful thankfulness to God, for the grace of a Redeemer. 5. And it should keep us from despair and discouragement in all our weaknesses, while we have the evidence of daily pardon. 6. Yea, it should make us hate sin the more, which is against so good a God. 7. We may come with reverent boldness to God, in meditation, prayer, and sacraments, when we know that sin is pardoned. 8. And we may taste the sweetness of all our mercies, when the doubt of our forgiveness doth not embitter them. 9. And we may much the easier bear all afflictions when the everlasting punishment is forgiven. 10. And we may die when God calls us, without horror, when we believe that we are pardoned through Christ. Nothing but sin can hurt or endanger us at Christ's tribunal; when that is forgiven, and there is no condemnation to us, being in Christ, how joyfully may we think of his appearing! 11. What peace of conscience may we have continually, while we can say that all our sins are forgiven us! For, as Psalm xxxii. 1; "And blessed are they whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose Spirit there is no guile."

CHAP. XXI.

"The Resurrection of the Body."

Q. 1. I HAVE oft wondered why there is nothing in the Creed of the immortality of the soul, and its state before the resurrection.

A. 1. The article of Christ's descent tells us, that his soul was among the separated souls, while his body was in the grave; as he told the thief, that he should be that day with him in Paradise.

2. The resurrection of the body is a thing not known at all by nature, but only by supernatural revelation, and therefore is an article of mere belief. But the immortality, or future life of souls, is a point which the light of nature revealeth, and therefore was taken, both by Jews and sober heathens, as a truth of common notice. Even as the love of ourselves is not expressed