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3dly, For matter of fact; it is known and confeffed, that God hath appointed a worship for finners to perform. All the inftitutions of the Old and New Teftament bear witness hereunto. God was the Author of them. And men know not what they do, when either they neglect them, or would be intermixing their own imaginations with them. What can the mind of man conceive or invent that may have any influence into this matter, to fecure the fouls of believers of their acceptance with God? Is there any need of their teftimony to the, truth, faithfulness, and goodness of God? Thefe things he hath taken upon himself. This then is that which is to be fixed on our fouls, upon our first invitation unto religious worship; namely, that God intends a new revenue of glory from us, and therefore declares, that there is a way for the taking away of our fins, without which we can give no glory to him by our obedience, and this is done only by forgiveness.

Fifthly, There are fome ordinances of worship appointed for this very end and purpose, to confirm unto us the forgivenefs of fin; efpecially in that worship which is inftituted by the Lord Jefus under the New Teftament. I fhall inftance in one or two :

1. The ordinance of baptifm. This was accompanied with the dawning of the gofpel, in the miniftry of John Baptift. And he exprefly declared in his fermons upon it, that it was inflituted of God to declare the remiffion of fins, Mark i. 4.

It is true, the Lord Chrift fubmitted unto that ordinance, (and was baptized by John) who had no fin. But this belonged unto the obedience which God requir ed of him, as, for our fakes, he was made under the law. He was to obferve all ordinances and inftitutions of the worship of God, not for any need he had in his own Perfon of the efpecial ends and fignifications of fome of them; yet, as he was our Sponfor, Surety, and Mediator, ftanding in our ftead in all that he fo did, he was to yield obedience unto them, that fo he might fulfill all righteoufnefs, Matth. iii. 13. So was he cir cumcifed,

cumcifed, fo he was baptized; both which had respect unto fin, though abfolutely free from all fin in his own perfon; and that because he was free from no obedience unto any command of God.

But, as was faid, baptifm itself, as appointed to be an ordinance of worship for finners to obferve, was a declaration of that forgivenefs that is with God. It was fo in its firft inftitution. God calls a man in a marvellous and miraculous manner; gives him a ministry from heaven; commands him to go and baptize all thofe who, confeffing their fins and profeffing repentance of them, fhould come to him, to have a teftimony of forgivenefs. And as to the efpecial nature of this ordinance, he appoints it to be fucn, as to represent the certainty and truth of his grace in pardon, unto their fenfes by a visible pledge. He lets them know that he would take away their fin, wherein their fpiritual defilement, doth confift, even as water takes away the outward filth of the body; fo that hereby they fhall be faved, as furely as Noah and his family were faved in the ark fwiming upon the waters, 1 Pet. iii. 21. Now, how great a deceit muft needs in this whole matter have been put upon poor finners, if it were not infallibly certain, that they might obtain forgivenefs with God.

After the entrance of this ordinance in the ministry of John, the Lord Chrift takes it into his own hand, and commands the obfervation of it unto all difciples. 1 difpute not now, who are the proper immediate objects of it; whether they only who actually can make profeffion of their faith, or believers with their infant feed. For my part, I believe that all whom Chrift loves and pardons are to be made partakers of the pledge thereof. And the fole reafon which they of old infifted on, why the infants of believing parents should not be baptized; was; because they thought they had no fin, and therein we know their mistake. But I treat not now of these things; only this I fay is certain, that in the prefcription of this ordinance unto his church,

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the great intention of the Lord Chrift was to ascertain unto us the forgivenefs of fins. And finners are invited to a participation of this ordinance for that end, that they may receive the pardon of their fins; that is, an infallible pledge and affurance of it, Acts ii. 38. And the very nature of it declareth this to be its end, as was before intimated. This is another engagement of the truth, and faithfulnefs, and holinefs of God, fo that we cannot be deceived in this matter. There is faith God, forgiveness with me; faith the foul," How "Lord fhall I know, how fhall I come to be affured of "it; for by reason of the perpetual accufations of "confcience, and the curfe of the law upon the guilt "of my fin, I find it a very hard matter for me to be"lieve? Like Gideon, I would have a token of it." Why, behold, faith God, I will give thee a pledge and a token of it which cannot deceive thee. When the world of old had been overwhelmed with a deluge of waters by reafon of their fins, and those who re'mained, though they had just cause to fear that the 'fame judgment would again befal them or their pofterity, because they faw there was like to be the fame 'cause of it, the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts ' of men being evil ftill, and that continually; to fecure them against these fears, I told them, that I would deftroy the earth no more with water; and I gave them a token of my faithfulnefs therein, by placing my bow in the cloud.. And have I failed them? < Though the fin and wickedness of the world hath been fince that day unfpeakably great; yet mankind ' is not drowned again, nor ever fhall be: I will not ' deceive their expectation from the token I have given them. Wherever then there is a word of promise • confirmed with a token, never fear a difappointment. But fo is this matter. I have declared, that there is 'forgiveness with me, and to give affurance thereof, I have ordained this pledge and fign, as a feal of my word, to take away all doubts and fufpicion of your 'being deceived. As the world fhall be drowned no

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'more, fo neither shall they who believe, come fhort ' of forgiveness.'

And this is the use which we ought to make of this ordinance. It is God's fecurity of the pardon of our fins, which we may fafely reít in.

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2. The fame is the end of that other great ordinance of the church, the fupper of the Lord: The fame thing is therein confirmed unto us by another fign, pledge, token, or feal. We have fhewed before, what refpect gospel forgiveness hath unto the death or blood of Jefus Chrift. That is the means whereby for us it is procured, the way whereby it comes forth from God, unto the glory of his righteoufnefs and grace, which afterwards must be more diftin&tly infisted on. This ordinance therefore, defigned and appointed on purpose for the representation and calling to remembrance of the death of Chrift, with the communication of the benefits thereof unto them that believe, doth principally intend our faith and comfort in the truth under confideration; and therefore in the very inftitution of it, befides the general end before mentioned, which had been fufficient for our fecurity, there is moreover added an especial mention of the forgiveness of fin: For fo fpeaks our Saviour in the inftitution of it, for the ufe of the church unto the end of the world, Matth. xxvii. 28. This is my blood of the new teftament, which is shed for many for the remiffion of fins. As if he had faid, "The end for which I have appointed the observance "of this duty and fervice unto you, is, that I may tef "tify thereby unto you, that by my blood, the facrifice "of myself, and the atonement made thereby, I have "purchased for you the remiffion of your fins, which you "hall affuredly be made partakers of." And more 1 fhall not add unto this confideration, because the death of Christ respected in this ordinance, will again occur

unto us.

3. What is the end of all church order, affemblies, and worship? What is a church? Is it not a company of finners gathered together, according unto God's ap

pointment

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pointment, to give glory and praife to him for pardoning grace, for the forgivenefs of fins, and to yield him that obedience which he requires from us, on the account of his having fo dealt with us? This is the nature, this is the end of a church. He that understandeth it

not, he that useth it not unto that end, doth but abufe that great inftitution. And fuch abuse the world is full of. Some endeavour to make their own fecular advantages by the pretence of the church: Some difcharge the duty required in it, with fome fecret hopes that it fhall be their righteoufnefs before God: Some answer only their light and convictions in an empty profeffion. This alone is the true end, the true ufe of it. We affemble ourselves, to learn that there is forgiveness with God through Chrift; to pray that we may be made partakers of it; to blefs and praife God for our interest in it; to engage ourselves unto that obedience which he requires upon the account of it. And were this conftantly upon our minds, and in our defigns, we might be more established in the faith of it, than it may be the most of us are.

Sixthly, One particular instance more of this nature fhall conclude this evidence: God hath commanded us, the Lord Chrift hath taught us, to pray for the pardon of fin, which gives us unquestionable fecurity that it may be attained, that it is to be found in God; for the clearing whereof observe.

1. That the Lord Chrift, in the revelation of the will of God unto us, as unto the duty that he required at our hands, hath taught and inftructed us to pray for the forgiveness of fin. It is one of the petitions which he hath left on record for our ufe and imitation, in that fummary of all prayer which he hath given us, Matth. vi. 12. Forgive us our debts, our trefpaffes, our fins. Some contend that this is a form of prayer, to be used in the prefcript limited words of it; all grant, that it is a rule for prayer, comprizing the heads of all neceffary things, that we are to pray for,, and obliging us to make fupplication for them. So then, upon the author

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