Archive for August 8th, 2014
I. We must take heed of mistakes about, pardon of sin.
1st Mistake, that our sins are pardoned, when they are not.
Qu. Whence is this mistake?
Ans.. From two grounds.
1. Because God is merciful.
Ans.. God’s being merciful, shows, that a man’s sins are pardonable. But there is a great deal of difference between sins pardonable and sins pardoned; thy sins may be pardonable, yet not pardoned. Though God be merciful, yet who is God’s mercy for? Not for the presuming sinner but the repenting sinner. Such as go on in sin, cannot lay claim to it. God’s mercy is like the ark, none but the priests, might touch the ark; none but such as are spiritual priests, sacrificing their sins, may touch this ark of God’s mercy.
2. Because Christ died for their sins, therefore they are forgiven.Ans.. That Christ died for remission of sin is true; but, that, therefore, all have remission is false; then Judas should be forgiven. Remission is limited to believers, Acts xiii. 39. “By him all that believe are justified;” but all do not believe: some slight and trample Christ’s blood under foot, Heb. x. 29. So that, notwithstanding Christ’s death, all are not pardoned. Take heed of this dangerous mistake. Who will seek after pardon, that thinks he has it already?
Thomas Watson, Body of Divinity (Berwick: Printed by and for W. George, 1806), 2:294. [Some spelling modernized, italics original; and underlining mine.]