A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics

Direct. III. When really you are bound to restitution or satisfaction, stick not at the cost or suffering, be it never so great, but be sure to deal faithfully with God and conscience. Else you will keep a thorn in your hearts, which will smart and fester till it be out: and the ease of your consciences will bear the charge of your costliest restitution.

Direct. IV. If you be not able in your lifetime to make restitution, leave it in your wills as a debt upon your estates; but never take it for your own.

Direct. V. If you are otherwise unable to satisfy, offer your labour as a servant to him to whom you are indebted; if at least by your service you can make him a compensation.

Direct. VI. If you are that way unable also, beg of your friends to help you, that charity may enable you to pay the debt.

Direct. VII. But if you have no means at all of satisfying, confess the injury and crave forgiveness, and cast yourself on the mercy of him whom you have injured.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
CASES AND DIRECTIONS ABOUT OUR OBTAINING PARDON FROM GOD

Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Obtaining Pardon of Sin from God

Quest. I. Is there pardon to be had for all sin without exception, or not?

Answ. 1. There is no pardon procured or offered, for the final non-performance of the conditions of pardon; that is, for final impenitency, unbelief, and ungodliness. 2. There is no pardon for any sin, without the conditions of pardon, that is, without true faith and repentance, which is our conversion from sin to God. 3. And if there be any sin which certainly excludeth true repentance to the last, it excludeth pardon also; which is commonly taken to be the case of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; of which I have written at large in my "Treatise against Infidelity."

But, 1. All sin, except the final non-performance of the conditions of pardon, is already conditionally pardoned in the gospel; that is, if the sinner will repent and believe. No sin is excepted from pardon to penitent believers.

2. And all sin is actually pardoned to a true penitent believer.

Quest. II. What if a man do frequently commit the same heinous sin; may he be pardoned?

Answ. Whilst he frequently committeth it (being a mortal sin) he doth not truly repent of it; and whilst he is impenitent he is unpardoned: but if he be truly penitent, his heart being habitually and actually turned from the sin, it will be forgiven him; but not till he thus forsake it.

Quest. III. Is the day of grace and pardon ever past in this life?

Answ. The day of grace and pardon to the penitent is never past in this life;¹⁷⁵ there is no day or hour in which a true penitent person is not pardoned; or in which the impenitent is not conditionally pardoned, that is, if he will truly repent and believe in Christ: and as for the day of true penitence, it is not past to the impenitent; for it never yet came, that is, they never truly repented. But there is a time, with some provoking, forsaken sinners, when God who was wont to call them to repentance by outward preaching and inward motions, will call and move them so no more, but leave them more quietly in the blindness and hardness of their hearts.

Quest. IV. May we be certain of pardon of sin in this life?

Answ. Yes, every man that understandeth the covenant of grace, may be certain of pardon, so far as he is certain of the sincerity of his faith and repentance, and no further; and if a man could not be sure of that, the consolatory promises of pardon would be in a sort in vain; and we could not tell how to believe and repent, if we cannot tell when we truly do it.

Quest. V. Can any man pardon sins against God? and how far?

Answ. Pardon is the remitting of a punishment. So far as man is to punish sinners against God, so far they may pardon, that is, remit that punishment. (Whether they do well in so doing, is another question.) Magistrates are to execute corporal penalties upon subjects for many sins against God, and they may pardon accordingly. The pastors of the church, who are its guides as to public church communion, may remove offenders from the said communion, and they may absolve them when they are penitent, and they may (rightfully or wrongfully) remit the penalty which they may inflict. 2. The pastors of the church may, as God's officers, declare the conditional general pardon, which is contained in the covenant of grace; and that with particular application to the sinner, for the comforting of his mind: q. d. Having examined your repentance, I declare to you as the minister of Christ, that if it be as you express it, without dissembling or mistake, your repentance is sincere, and your sin is pardoned. 3. On the same terms a pastor may as the minister or messenger of Christ, deliver this same conditional pardon contained in the covenant of grace, as sealed by the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper; which is an act of investiture: q. d. I do as the minister of Christ, hereby seal and deliver to you in his name, the pardon of all your sins through his blood; supposing your professed faith and repentance be sincere; otherwise it is void and of no such effect. But this is, 1. But a conditional pardon, though with particular application. 2. And it is but a ministerial act of delivery or investiture, and not the act of the donor by himself; nor the gift of the first title: so that it is no whit proper to say, that the minister pardoneth you; but that the minister bringeth and delivereth you the pardon, and sealeth it in his Master's name; or that Christ doth pardon you, and send it you by his minister. As it is utterly improper to say, that the king's messenger pardoneth a traitor, because he bringeth him a pardon from the king. And though (if we agree of this sense) the controversy remaining will be but de nomine, yet it is not of small moment, when abused words do tend to abuse the people's understandings: he that saith, I forgive your sins, doth teach the people to take him for a god, whatever he meaneth in himself; and blasphemous words will not be sufficiently excused, by saying that you have not a blaspheming sense. So that a pastor may, 1. Declare Christ's pardon. 2. And seal and deliver it conditionally in Christ's name. But he cannot pardon the internal punishments in this life, nor the eternal punishments of the next. 3. But the punishments of excommunication he may pardon, who must execute them.

Quest. VI. Doth God forgive sin before it be committed (or justify the sinner from it)?

Answ. No, no: for it is a contradiction to forgive that which is not, or to remit a penalty which is not due; but he will indeed justify the person, not by Christ's righteousness, but by his own innocency in tantum, so far as he is no sinner. He that hath not committed a sin, needeth no pardon of it, nor any righteousness but his innocency, to justify him against the false accusation of doing that which he never did. God doth prepare the sacrifice and remedy before upon the foresight of the sin: and he hath made a universal act of pardon beforehand, which shall become an actual pardon to him who penitently accepteth it; and he is purposed in himself to pardon all whom he will pardon; so that he hath the decretive nolle punire before. But none of this is proper pardon, or the justification of a sinner, in the gospel sense, as shall be further showed.

Quest. VII. Is an elect person pardoned and justified, before faith and repentance?

Answ. (Laying aside the case of infants, which dependeth on the faith of others) the former answer will serve for this question.

Quest. VIII. Is pardon or justification perfect before death?

Answ. 1. De re: 1. The pardon which you have this year extendeth not to the sins which you commit the next year, or hour; but there must be a renewed act of pardon for renewed sins; though not a new gospel, or covenant, or act of oblivion to do it; but the same gospel covenant doth morally perform a new act of pardon, according to the Redeemer's mind and will. 2. The pardon which we have now, is but constitutive and in jure, and but virtual as to sentential justification; but the sentence of the judge is a more perfective act: or if any think that God doth now sentence us just before the angels in any celestial court, yet that at judgment will be a more full perfective act. 3. The executive pardon which we have now, which is opposite to actual punishing, is not perfect till the day of judgment; because all the punishment is not removed till the last enemy, death, be overcome, and the body be raised from the earth. 2. And now the controversy de nomine, whether it be proper to call our present justification or pardon perfect, is easily decided from what is said de re.

Quest. IX. Is our pardon perfect as to all the sins that are past?

Answ. 1. As to the number of sins pardoned, it is; for all are pardoned. 2. As to the species of the act, and the plenary effect, it is not. For, 1. All the punishment is not removed. 2. The final absolving sentence is to come. 3. The pardon which we have is, as to its continuance, but conditional; and the tenor of the covenant would cease the pardon even of all sins past, if the sinner's faith and repentance should cease; I speak not de eventu, whether ever any do fall away, but of the tenor of the covenant; which may prevent falling away. Now a pardon which hath much yet to be done, as the condition of its continuance, is not so perfect, as it will be when all those things are performed.

Quest. X. May pardon or justification be reversed or lost?

Answ. Whether God will eventually permit his true servants, to fall so far as to be unjustified, is a controversy which I have written of in a fitter place. 2. But quoad robur peccatoris, it is, alas, too easy to fall away, and be unjustified. 3. And as to the tenor of the covenant, it continueth the promise and threatening conditionally, and supposing the sinner defectible, doth threaten damnation to them that are now justified, if they should not persevere, but apostatize, Col. i. 33; Rom. xi. 22; John xv. 9.

Quest. XI. Is the pardon of my own sins to be believed fide divina? And is it the meaning of that article of the creed, I believe the pardon of my sins?

Answ. 1. I am to believe fide divina, that Christ hath purchased and enacted a conditional pardon, which is universal, and therefore extendeth to my sins as well as to other men's; and that he commandeth his ministers to offer me this, and therein to offer me the actual pardon of all my sins, to be mine if I truly repent and believe: and that if I do so, my sins are actually pardoned. And I am obliged accordingly to believe in Christ, and take him for my Saviour, for the pardon of my sins. But this is all the meaning of the creed, and Scripture, and all that is of divine belief. 2. But that I am actually pardoned, is not of divine faith, but only on supposition that I first believe; which Scripture telleth not, whether I do or not. In strict sense, I must first believe in Christ for pardon: and next, in a larger sense, I must believe that I am pardoned; that is, I must so conclude by an act of reason, one of the premises being de fide, and the other of internal self-knowledge.

Quest. XII. May a man trust in his own faith or repentance for his pardon and justification, in any kind?

Answ. Words must be used with respect to the understanding of the hearers; and perilous expressions must be avoided lest they deceive men. But de re, 1. You must not trust to your faith or repentance, to do that which is proper to God, or to Christ, or to the gospel, or for any more than their own part, which Christ hath assigned them. 2. You must trust to your faith and repentance for that which is truly their own part. And should you not trust them at all, you must needs despair, or trust presumptuously to you know not what: for Christ will not be instead of faith or repentance to you.

Quest. XIII. What are the several causes and conditions of pardon?

Answ. 1. God the Father is the principal efficient, giving us Christ, and pardon with and through him. 2. Christ's person by his sacrifice and merits is the meritorious cause. 3. The gospel covenant or promise is the instrumental cause, or God's pardoning act or grant. 4. Repentance is the condition sine qua non, directly gratia finis, in respect to God, to whom we must turn. 5. Faith in Christ is the condition sine qua non, directly gratia medii principalis, in respect to the Mediator, who is thereby received. 6. The Holy Ghost worketh us to these conditions.

Tit. 2. Directions for Obtaining Pardon from God

Direct. I. Understand well the office of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, and what it is that he hath done for sinners, and what he undertaketh further to do. For if you know not Christ's office and undertaking, you will either be ignorant of your true remedy, or will deceive yourselves by a presumptuous trust, that he will do that which is contrary to his office and will.

Direct. II. Understand well the tenor of the covenant of grace; for there it is that you must know what Christ will give, and to whom, and on what terms.

Direct. III. Understand well the nature of true faith and repentance; or else you can neither tell how to obtain pardon, nor to judge of it.

Direct. IV. Absolutely give up yourselves to Christ, in all the offices of a Mediator, Priest, Prophet, and King. And think not to be justified by one act or part of christianity, by alone believing in Christ as a sacrifice for sin. To be a true believer and to be a true christian is all one; and is the faith in Christ which is the condition of justification and salvation. Study the baptismal covenant; for the believing in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost there meant, is the true faith, which is the condition of our pardon.

Direct. V. Be sure that your repentance contain in it a desire to be perfectly holy and free from all sin, and a resolution against all known and wilful sinning, and particularly that you would not commit the same sins if you had again the same temptations (supposing that we speak not of such infirmities as good men live in; which yet you must heartily desire to forsake).

Direct. VI. Pray earnestly and believingly for pardon through Christ; even for the continuance of your former pardon, and for renewed pardon for renewed sins; for prayer is God's appointed means, and included in faith and repentance, which are the summary conditions.

Direct. VII. Set all right between you and your neighbours, by forgiving others, and being reconciled to them, and confessing your injuries against them, and making them restitution and satisfaction; for this also is included in your repentance, and expressly made the condition of your pardon.

Direct. VIII. Despise not the sacramental delivery of pardon, by the ministers of Christ; for this belongeth to the full investiture and possession of the benefit: nor yet the spiritual consolation of a skilful, faithful pastor, nor public absolution upon public repentance, if you should fall under the need of such a remedy.

Direct. IX. Sin no more. I mean, resolvedly break off all that wilful sin of which you do repent: for repentings, and purposes, and promises of a new and holy life, which are uneffectual, will never prove the pardon of your sins; but show your repentance to be deceitful.

Direct. X. Set yourselves faithfully to the use of all those holy means, which God hath appointed for the overcoming of your sins; and to that life of holiness, righteousness, love, and sobriety, which is contrary to them. Otherwise your repentance is fraudulent and insufficient: these means, and no less than all these, must be used by him, that will make sure of the pardon of his sins from God: and he that thinketh all these too much, must look for pardon some other way, than from the mercy of God, or the grace of Christ; for God's pardon is not to be had upon any other terms, than those of God's appointment. He that will make new conditions of his own, must pardon himself if he can, on those conditions; for God will not be tied to the laws of sinners.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
CASES AND DIRECTIONS ABOUT SELF-JUDGING

Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Self-judging

Because I have said so much of this subject in the third part of my "Saints' Rest," and in a "Treatise of Self-acquaintance," and in my "Directions for Peace of Conscience," and before in this book, I shall be here the briefer in it.

Quest. I. What are the uses and reasons of self-judging, which should move us to it?

Answ. In the three foresaid treatises I have opened them at large. In a word, without it we shall be strangers to ourselves; we can have no well-grounded comfort, no true repentance and humiliation, no just estimation of Christ and grace, no just observance of the motions of God's Spirit, no true application of the promises or threatenings of the Scripture, yea, we shall pervert them all to our own destruction; no true understanding of the providence of God, in prosperity or adversity; no just acquaintance with our duty: a man that knoweth not himself, can know neither God, nor any thing aright, nor do any thing aright; he can neither live reasonably, honestly, safely, nor comfortably, nor suffer or die with solid peace.

Quest. II. What should ignorant persons do, whose natural capacity will not reach to so high a work, as to try and judge themselves in matters so sublime?

Answ. 1. There is no one who hath reason and arts sufficient to love God, and hate sin, and live a holy life, and believe in Christ, but he hath reason and parts sufficient to know (by the use of just means) whether he do these things indeed or not. 2. He that cannot reach assurance, must take up with the lower degrees of comfort, of which I shall speak in the directions.

Quest. III. How far may a weak christian take the judgment of others, whether his pastor, or judicious acquaintance, about his justification and sincerity?

Answ. 1. No man's judgment must be taken as infallible about the sincerity of another; nor must it be so far rested on, as to neglect your fullest search yourself; and for the matter of fact, what you have done, or what is in you, no man can be so well acquainted with it as yourselves. 2. But in judging whether those acts of grace which you describe, be such as God hath promised salvation to, and in directing you in your self-judging, and in conjecturing at your sincerity by your expressions and your lives, a faithful friend or pastor may do that, which may much support you, and relieve you against inordinate doubts and fears, and show you that your sincerity is very probable. Especially if you are assured that you tell him nothing but the truth yourselves; and if he be one that is acquainted with you and your life, and hath known you in temptations, and one that is skilful in the matters of God and conscience, and one that is truly judicious, experienced, and faithful, and is not biassed by interest or affection; and especially when he is not singular in his judgment, but the generality of judicious persons who know you are of the same mind; in this case you may take much comfort in his judgment of your justification, though it cannot give you any proper certainty, nor is to be absolutely rested in.

Tit. 2. Directions for Self-judging as to our Actions

Direct. I. Let watchfulness over your hearts and lives be your continual work. Never grow careless or neglectful of yourselves: keep your hearts with all diligence. As an unfaithful servant may deceive you, if you look after him but now and then; so may a deceitful heart. Let it be continually under your eye.

Object. Then I must neglect my calling, and do nothing else.

Answ. It need not be any hinderance to you at all. As every man that followeth his trade and labour, doth still take heed that he do all things right, and every traveller taketh heed of falling, and he that eateth taketh heed of poisoning or choking himself, without any hinderance, but to the furtherance of that which he is about; so is it with a christian about his heart: vigilant heedfulness must never be laid by, whatever you are doing.

Direct. II. Live in the light as much as is possible. I mean under a judicious, faithful pastor, and amongst understanding, exemplary christians; for they will be still acquainting you with what you should be and do; and your errors will be easily detected, and in the light you are not so like to be deceived.

Direct. III. Discourage not those that would admonish or reprove you, nor neglect their opinion of you. No, not the railings of an enemy; for they may tell you that in anger (much more in fidelity) which it may concern you much to hear, and think of, and may give you some light in judging of yourselves.

Direct. IV. If you have so happy an opportunity, engage some faithful bosom friend to watch over you, and tell you plainly of all that they see amiss in you. But deal not so hypocritically as to do this in the general, and then be angry when he performeth his trust, and discourage him by your pride and impatience.

Direct. V. Put yourselves in another's case, and be impartial. When you cannot easily see the faults of others, inquire then whether your own be not as visible, if you were as ready to observe and aggravate them. And surely none more concern you than your own, nor should be so odious and grievous to you; nor are so, if you are truly penitent.

Direct. VI. Understand your natural temper and inclination, and suspect those sins which you are naturally most inclined to, and there keep up the strictest watch.

Direct. VII. Understand what temptations your place, and calling, and relations, and company do most subject you to; and there be most suspicious of yourselves.

Direct. VIII. Mark yourselves well in the hour of temptation: for then it is that the vices will appear, which before lay covered and unknown.

Direct. IX. Suspect yourselves most heedfully of the most common and most dangerous sins. Especially unbelief and want of love to God, and a secret preferring of earthly hopes before the hopes of the life to come; and selfishness, and pride, and sensual pleasing of the fleshly appetite and fancy: these are the most common, radical, and most mortal, damning sins.

Direct. X. Take certain times to call yourselves to a special strict account. As, 1. At your preparation for the Lord's day at the end of every week. 2. In your preparation for the sacrament of Christ's body and blood. 3. And before a day of humiliation. 4. In a time of sickness or other affliction. 5. Yea, every night review the actions of the foregoing day. He that useth to call his conscience seriously to account, is likest to keep his accounts in order, and to be ready to give them up to Christ.

Direct. XI. Make not light of any sin which you discover in your self-examination. But humble yourselves for it before the Lord, and be affected according to its importance, both in its guilt and evil signification.

Direct. XII. And let the end of all be the renewed exercise of faith and thankfulness, and resolutions for better obedience hereafter. That you may see more of the need and use of a Saviour, and may thankfully magnify that grace which doth abound where sin abounded; and may walk the more watchfully and holily for the time to come.

Tit. 3. Directions for Self-judging as to our Estates, to know whether we are in a Regenerate and Justified State, or not

Direct. I. If you would so judge of the state of your souls, as not to be deceived, come not to the trial with an over-confident prejudice or conceit of your own condition, either as good or bad. He that is already so prepossessed as to resolve what to judge before he trieth, doth make his trial but a means to confirm him in his conceit.

Direct. II. Let not self-love, partiality, or pride, on the one side, or fear on the other side, pervert your judgment in the trial, and hinder you from the discerning of the truth. Some men cannot see the clearest evidences of their unsanctified hearts, because self-love will give them leave to believe nothing of themselves which is bad or sad. They will believe that which is good and pleasant, be it never so evidently false. As if a thief could be saved from the gallows, by a strong conceit that he is a true man; or the conceit that one is learned, would make him learned. Others through timorousness can believe nothing that is good or comfortable of themselves: like a man on the top of a steeple, who though he know that he standeth fast and safe, yet trembleth when he looketh down, and can scarce believe his own understanding. Silence all the objections of an over-timorous mind, and it will doubt and tremble still.

Direct. III. Surprise not yourselves on the sudden and unprepared, with the question, whether you are justified or not; but set about it as the most serious business of your life. A great and difficult question must have a well-studied answer, and not be answered hastily and rashly. If one should meet you in the street, and demand some great and long account of you, you would desire him to stay till you review your memorials, or have time to cast it up. Take some appointed time to do this, when you have no intruding thoughts to hinder you; and think not that it must be resolved easily or quickly upon the first inquiry, but by the most sober and judicious consideration, and patient attendance till it be done.

Direct. IV. Understand the tenor of the covenant of grace, which is the law that you must judge of your estates by: for if you mistake that, you will err in the conclusion. He is an unfit judge, who is ignorant of the law.

Direct. V. Mistake not the nature of true faith in Christ. Those that think it is a believing that they are actually pardoned, and shall be saved, do some of them presume or believe it when it is false, and some of them despair, because they cannot believe it. And those that think that faith is such a recumbency on Christ as always quieteth the mind, do think they have no faith when they have no such quietness. And those that think it is only the resting on the blood of Christ for pardon, do take up with that which is no true faith. But he that knoweth that faith in Christ, is nothing else but christianity, or consenting to the christian covenant, may know that he consenteth, even when he findeth much timorousness and trouble, and taketh not up with a deceitful faith.

Direct. VI. Remember in your self-judging, that the will is the man, and what you truly would be, that you are, in the sense of the covenant of grace.

Direct. VII. But remember also that your endeavours must prove the truth of your desires, and that idle wishes are not the denominating acts of the will.

Direct. VIII. Also your successes must be the proof of the sincerity of your endeavours: for such striving against sin as endeth in yielding to it, and not in victory, is no proof of the uprightness of your hearts.

Direct. IX. Mark what you are in the day of trial; for at other times it is more easy to be deceived: and record what you then discover in yourself: what a man is in trial, that he is indeed.

Direct. X. Especially try yourselves in the great point of forsaking all for Christ, and for the hopes of the fruition of God in glory. Know once whether God or the creature can do more with you, and whether heaven or earth be dearer to you, and most esteemed, and practically preferred, and then you may judge infallibly of your state.

Direct. XI. Remember that in melancholy and weakness of understanding, you are not fit for the casting up of so great accounts; but must take up with the remembrance of former discoveries, and with the judgment of the judicious, and be patient till a fitter season, before you can expect to see in yourselves the clear evidence of your state.

Direct. XII. Neither forget what former discoveries you have made, nor yet wholly rest in them, without renewing your self-examination. They that have found their sincerity, and think that the next time they are in doubt, they should fetch no comfort from what is past, do deprive themselves of much of the means of their peace. And those that trust all to the former discoveries of their good estate, do proceed upon unsafe and negligent principles; and will find that such slothful and venturous courses will not serve turn.

Direct. XIII. Judge not of yourselves by that which is unusual and extraordinary with you, but by the tenor and drift of your hearts and lives. A bad man may seem good in some good mood; and a good man may seem bad in some extraordinary fall. To judge of a bad man by his best hours, and of a good man by his worst, is the way to be deceived in them both.

Direct. XIV. Look not unequally at the good or evil that is in you; but consider them both impartially as they are. If you observe all the good only that is in you, and overlook the bad; or search after nothing but your faults, and overlook your graces; neither of these ways will bring you to true acquaintance with yourselves.

Direct. XV. Look not so much either at what you should be, or at what others are, as to forget what you are yourselves. Some look so much at the glory of that full perfection which they want, as that their present grace seemeth nothing to them; like a candle to one that hath been gazing on the sun. And some look so much at the debauchery of the worst, that they think their lesser wickedness to be holiness.

Direct. XVI. Suffer not your minds to wander in confusion, when you set yourselves to so great a work: but keep it close to the matter in hand, and drive it on till it have come to some satisfaction and conclusion.

Direct. XVII. If you are not able by meditation to do it of yourselves, get the help of some able friend or pastor, and do it in a way of conference with him: for conference will hold your own thoughts to their task; and your pastor may guide them, and tell you in what order to proceed, and confute your mistakes, besides confirming you by his judgment of your case.

Direct. XVIII. If you cannot have such help at hand, write down the signs by which you judge either well or ill of yourself; and send them to some judicious divine for his judgment and counsel thereupon.