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COLOS. i. 14.

In whom we have Redemption through bis Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins.

I.

H

ERE is the Benefit we receive by Christ,
even Redemption.

1. From the Guilt of Sin; whether Original
or Actual, of Omiffion or Commiffion.
2. From the Power and Prevalence of Sin,
Rom. vi. 14. Heb. ix. 13, 14. Acts iii. 26. 1 Pet.
i. 18. Matt.i. 21. Tit. ii. 14.

3. From the Power and Tyranny of Satan,
Col. i. 13. John iii. 8. Luke. xxii. 31, 32.
4. From the Curfe of the Law, 1 Gal.iii. 13. c.iv. 5.
5. From the Wrath of God.

I

1. In this World, Rom. v. 1. Luc. ii. 14.

2. In that to come, 1 The i. 10. Acts iv. 12.

1

II. The Means whereby Chrift hath purchas'd this Redemption for us, even by his Blood. 1. It was neceffary our Redeemer fhould be Man, as well as God, 1 Tim. ii. 5. Heb. ii.

14, 17.

That fo he might mediate betwixt both Parties,
Fob ix. 33. MD.

2. That he fuffer, Heb. viii. 3. Luke xxiv. 26.
3. That he fuffer a Bloody Death, Heb. ix. 22.
Thereby,

1. To expiate our Sins, 1 John ii. 2. Ifa. liii. 5,6.

2. To conquer Satan, Heb. ii. 14.

3. To reconcile God to us, and us to God, Rom. v. 10, 11. Eph. ii. 16.

III The

III. The great Benefit of all that we receive by Chrift, is the Forgiveness of Sins,

1. What is that?

2. We receive it only through the Blood of Chrift.

1. What is Forgiveness ?

1. The Names in Scripture given to it.

1. Remiffion, "Apes, Acts ii. 38. Difmiffion, Releafing, Ifa. lxi. 1.

2. Mercifulness to our Sins, Heb. viii. 12.
Ίλεως. Luke xviii. 13. Ὁ θεὸς ἐλάπίμοι τῷ
αμαρλωλῶ.

3. Paffing over Sin, Rom. iii. 25. Пdgens.
4. Purging from Sin, Pfal. li. 7. RUNN.
5. Not remembring our Sins, Jer. xxxi. 34.
TIN R. Heb. viii. 12. Où un μnow T.
6. Covering Sin, Pfal. xxxii. 1. 103. Pfal
Ixxxv. 2. Pfal. li. 9.

7. Taking away and removing Sin, Pfal.
ciii. 10, 12. Exod. xxxiv. 7. Lev. xvi. 20, 22.
8. Cafting behind God's Back, Ifa. xxxvii. 17.
Pfal. xc. 8.

9. Blotting out Sin, Ifa. xliii. 25. c. xliv. 22. 10. Not imputing Sin, Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2. Rom. iv. 7, 8.

But cafting it, as it were, into the Depth of the Sea, Mic. vii. 18, 19.

2. The Nature.

Forgiveness is an Act of God's Grace, whereby he abfolves us from the Obligation to those Punishments, which by his Law are due to us for our Sins.

1. The general Nature: It is an Act of God's Grace.

1. Of God.

1. It is afcribed to him alone, Exod.

xxxiv. 7. Mark ii. 7.
Mark ii.
Q

2. We

2. We are to ask it only of him, Matt.6. 12. 3. He alone juftifies, Rom. vii. 33.

4. Our Sins are only against him, Pfal. li. 4.

2. Of his Grace, not Wisdom, Power, or Juftice, Ifa. xliii. 25.

3. It of God's Grace in Chrift, Eph. 1. vii. 2. The fpecifical Difference.

1. We are obliged to bear the Punishments due by God's Law to Sin, Gal. 3. 10.

2. God takes off that Obligation, panμara, 2 Sam. xii. 13. Mark iii. 28, 29.

IV. It is only by Chrift's Death, that we receive Forgiveness of Sins.

1. All Mankind is guilty before God, and fo obnoxious to his Wrath and Everlasting Punifhment, Rom. iii. 19. Gal. iii. 22.

2. Christ, the eternal Son of God, was pleased to take the Nature of Man upon him, fo as to become both God and Man in one Perfon, Ifa. vii. 14. Rom. ix. 5. Phil. ii. 6, 7. 3. Chrift in this Nature was pleafed to fuffer Difgrace, the Curfes of the Law, Gen. iii. 13. The Wrath of God, xxvii. 46. Yea, an Ignominious,

Accurfed, Gal. iii. 13.

And painful, bloody Death.

And all for Sin, the only Caufe of Death,

Heb x. 12.

4. Chrift fuffered all this, not for himself, I Pet. ii. 22. c. iii. 18. Heb. vii. 26. but for us, who partake of that Nature in which he suffered, Ifa. liii. 5, 6. Rom. iv. 25. Gal. i. 4. 1 Cor. XV. 3. 5. Thefe

5. These the Sufferings of Chrift for us, were
of greater Worth and Value, than if all Men
had fuffered eternal Death, A&ts xx. 28. .
6. Hence God was pleased to accept of them,
as a fufficient, Price of our Redemption, and
Satisfaction to his Juftice for our Sins, Matt.
πχ. 28. Λύτρον ἄντι πολλῶν. η Tim. ii. 6. Eph.

i. 6.
7. God's Justice being thus fatisfied, he is re-
conciled unto us; and takes off our Obliga-
tions to Punishment, by Reafon of the Pu-
nishments which his own Son underwent for
us; and therefore for his Sake is faid to par-
don or forgive our Sins, Rom. v. 10. Col.
i. 20. 2 Cor. V. 21. Matt. xxvi. 21.

USE.

1. Hence we may learn, what Ground we have to truft in Chrift for Pardon, Rom. viii. 34.

2. Hence be advised, to make it your Business to get your Sins forgiven.

Confidering,

1. How miferable you are without it.

1. God is conftantly angry with you, Pfal.vii.rr. 2. You are in continual Danger of Hell and Damnation, Heb. x. 26, 27.

2. How happy with it, Pfal. xii. 1, 2.

1. Your Perfons accepted and juftified before God, Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2. compared with Rom.

iv. 6, 7.

2. God reconciled unto you, and become your Friend, Rom. V. I, 9, 10.

3. All Things work together for your Good,

Rom. viii. 28.

4. You will be glorified, Rom. viii. 30.

Μετανοήσατε ὧν καὶ ἐπιςρέψατε.

Repentance and Converfion is necessary in

order unto Pardon.

To true Repentance is required,

I. Conviction, John xvi. 8, 9. Acts ii. 37. 1. Of the Evil of Sin, Rom. vii. 13.

1. Contrary to God's Law, 1 John iii. 4. 2. Contrary to his Nature, Ifa. i. 13, 14. Hab. i. 13.

3. Offenfive to his Majefty, Ifa. iii. 8. Pfal

XCV. 10, II.

4. Deftructive to the Soul, Gal. iii. 10. Tit. i. 15. Separating it from God, and fo from all Good, Ifa. lix. 2. Jer. v. 25.

5. The fole Caufe and Procurer of all the Mifery in the World, Pfal. cvii. 17.

2. Of our own Guiltinefs of Sin.

1. Original, Pfal. li. 5.

2. Actual, Pfal. li. 4.

1. In our Heads.

1. Error in Judgment, 2 Pet. ii. 1. 2. Ignorance of Mind, Ifa.i. 2, 3. Jer iv. 22 3. Vanity of Thoughts, Gen.vi. 5. Jer.iv.14. 2. In our Hearts, Jer. xvii, 9.

1. Perverfenefs of our Wills, Ifa. XXX. 15, 16. Matt. xxiii. 37.

2. Disorders of our Affections and Paffions, 2 Tim. iii. 4. Col. iii. 2.