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heaven_n	jesus_n	lord_n	see_v	7,565	5	3.6443	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86586	An exercitation concerning the nature of forgivenesse of sin. Very necessary (as the author humbly conceiveth) to a right informaion [sic], and well grounded decision of sundry controversal points in divinity now depending. Directly intended as an antidote for preventing the danger of antinomian doctrine. And consequently subservient for promoting the true faith of Christ and fear of God, in a godly righteous, and sober life. / By Thomas Hotchkis, Master of Arts of C.C.C.C. and minister of Gods word at Stanton by Highworth in the county of Wilts. To which is prefixed Mr. Richard Baxters preface.	Hotchkis, Thomas.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1654 (1654)	Wing H2891; Thomason E1518_1; Thomason E1632_1; ESTC R208563	133,342	405

being left us of entering into his Rest any of you should seem to come short of it And as the consequence hereof be it cosidered in the next place 5 That it is the duty of Gods Church and people to exercise not only faith and hope 2 Cor. 7.1 compared with 2 Cor. 6.17 18. but moreover to exercise faith and fear even in or by occasion of the Promises of God considering that as every Threatning doth imply a Promise so every Promise doth imply a Threatning so that the word which is formally a Promise is also implyedly and vertually a Threatning and Vice versâ the Word which is formally a Threatning is implyedly or vertually a Promise The ground hereof is this because Gods Promises and Gods threatnings have alwayes conditions if not expressed at least implyed This Noah did very well understand and therefore God having made him a Promise to preserve him from the Deluge by means of an Ark which hee commanded him for that end to prepare Noah is therefore said by faith as moved through fear to have prepared it The main cause which hinders the Antinomians from the sight and acknowledgment of the consistency and co-operation of faith and fear is as I conceive because they do imagine justifying faith to be nothing else but a perswasion or a firm belief that Christ wil unquestionably save them and they are therefore apt to interpret all Scriptures wherein any thing is ascribed unto faith or said to be done through faith or by meanes of saith unto faith in their said sense which is a very grosse error in it self and a cause of much more Object 6. Believers know that they cannot fall away from grace because God hath promised as will their perseverance in grace as their crowning with glory Joh. 13 1. Luke 22 32. Answ God who promiseth the end doth not promise it to be attained absolutely or Quocunque modo but with expresse or at least with an implicite reference to the use of the means e. g God who promised to add fifteen yeers to the life of Hezekiah did promise the same with reference unto Hezekiahs making use of all the due means of conserving life whether by food physick or other waies 2 King 20.6 7. 2 As God who promiseth salvation the ultimate end to the Elect doth promise to give them perseverance in the faith to that end even so God who hath promised perseverance the subordinate and subservient end unto the Saints hath promised to give them grace to be diligent in the use of all such meanes which he hath appointed as helping and conducing to their perseverance e. g. God who hath decreed and promised that Believers shal never totally and finally depart from him hath withal decreed and promised that he will put as well his fear as his faith unto them Note together with all other graces needful for that purpose Jer. 32.40 3. Among other means which God in his Word hath appointed for the perseverance of Believers this is one as hath been already plentifully proved viz. The setting before them the curse of the Law even hell it self as the desert and certain reward of Apostasie and all Apostates which said danger whosoever shall be fearless and regardlesse of as such a person doth take a ready course to ruine himself by incurring the danger so by his said fearlessenesse and regardlesness he doth give just occasion for himself and for all others to doubt or question whether he be for present in the number of Gods Elect to whom the said Promises of perseverance are made and of whom therefore they shall be verified 4. Notwithstanding God doth promise to preserve Believers in the state of Grace he doth neverthelesse set before them the danger of Apostasie whereby to cause them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling For proof whereof I shall quote several very remarkable Scriptures See Phil. 1.6 with ch 2.12 13. notwithstanding the Apostle had expressed his confidence both concerning their present and also their future and final estate that the same God who had begun a good work would finish it untill the day of Christ he doth neverthelesse exhort them to work out their owne salvation with fear and trembling See Rev. 3.10 where albeit God doth promise to the Church of Philiadelphia that he will infallibly preserve her in the hour of temptation he doth notwithstanding admonish her of the danger of Apostasie and exhort her to perseverance lest her crowne be taken from her See the Epistle of St Jude where he doth expressy tell us to what manner of persons he writes viz. To them that are sanctified and preserved in Christ Jesus ver 1. yet the said preservation notwithstanding he tels them that it was needful both for him and them to use the means of their preservation ver 3. Beloved saith he when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you and observe what means he useth for that end e. g. He exhorts them earnestly to contend for the faith he sets before them in sundry examples especially that of the Reprobate Angels the danger of Apostasie that so in them as in a Looking-glasse they may behold the fearful end of all Apostates and notwithstanding their preservation in or by Christ as some render the word yet doth he exhort them to preserve themselves ver 20 21. namely as by a careful heeding and diligent using of all the means which in that Epistle of his he had prescribed to them so in especial by constant prayer to God and edifying one another The word rendred Preserved in ver 1. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Criticks do observe doth properly signifie to be most solicitously kept as under lock and key as by watch and Ward as prisoners use to be kept see the same word used Acts 4.3 and 5.18 and 24.23 and 25.4 and yet he useth the self same word in his exhortations unto them ver 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep your selves as with Watch and Ward it being the same word which Saint John also useth 1 John 5 18. where he tels us that every one who is born of God doth in such sort preserve himself See also 1 Cor. 1.8 with 1 Cor. 16.13 and 1.6 9 10 11. notwithstanding the Apostle had told them in the former place That the Lord Jesus would confirme them to the end that they might bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord. He doth I say notwithstanding exhort them to stand fast and threaten them with the losse of their inheritance in heaven in their pursuits of any unrighteous way See also 2 John 2.8 In the second Verse Saint John tells the Elect Lady and her children that the Truth which did dwell in them should abide with them for ever yet doth he admonish them saying v. 8. Look to your selves that we lose not the things which we

as to be displeased with them and to be incensed against them 2 Sam 11.27 Davids sin in the matter of Vriah is there said to displease God Dent. 9 20. God is there said to have been very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him 2. So farre as to checke and reprove them for their sins whereby he would have them take special notice that he doth remember them and these reproofes God doth convey sometimes in a most cutting and convincing way for proof hereof see Rev. 2.4 where the Church of Ephesus is reproved for her declining And 2 Sam 12.1 Where David is sharply taxed about the matter of Vriah 3. So farre as to threaten them with suffering for their sins and that 1. Conditionally except they repent Rev. 2.5 Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick 2. Absolutely notwithstanding they have or shall repent 2 Sam. 12 13 14. where David is threatned with the death of his child if any one shal say it is a prediction to speak properly rather then a commination it will make nothing against the intent and purpose for which I alledge it notwithstanding his professed repentance and the Prophets absolution of him as to the maine of pardon in the name of God related in the foregoing verse 4. God doth so farre remember the sinns of his people as actually to inflict punishment upon them for the same and that both while they live and when they are dead 1. While they live and that variously viz. not only by withholding and withdrawing those mercies and favours from them which otherwise would have been bestowed and continued but also by inflicting such evils upon them which otherwise he would not have inflicted as doth evidently appear and as David himselfe did know to his smart and cost 2 Sam. 12.8 9 10. 2. When they are dead viz. in their posterity successors and Subjects they being Parents Princes or Soveraignes as appeares undeniably in the instances of Eli Solomon and Manasses for which see 1 Sam. 3.13 14. 1 King 11.33 and 2 24 3 4. Thus doth God so farre remember the sins of his people as to smite them for the same not only with the rod of reproofe but also with the reproof of his rod it being the duty of Gods people under extraordinary sufferings to take notice that God doth thereby remember or take knowledge of their sins as did the widow of Zareptah by occasion of the unexpected death of her Sonne saying to the Prophet O thou man of God art thou come to call my sin into remembrance and tr slay my Sonne 1 King 17.18 And if their sins do not presently appear it s their duty to search for them and to pray to God to discover them unto us according to the example of Job chap. 10.3 13.23 Where he prayes to God to shew him wherefore he contended with him and according to the patterne of the Church Lam. 3.40 Exciting one another to search and try their waies 5. If as there be degrees of grace on earth so there be degrees of glory in heaven as is commonly and very probably conceived I see not but that it may be affirmed that God doth so farre remember the sinnes of his people particularly their backslidings and declinings in grace after their conversion as to deny unto them such an eminent degree of glory in heaven which otherwise had they been more circumspect and zealous they might have obtained or had attained unto they in meane time losing of the fulnesse of the reward to which purpose that of the Apostle may not unfitly be understood 2 Joh. 8. Look to your selves that we lose not the things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward But I will not say that this is properly to be called punishment 2. In the next place I am to shew Negatively or in what sense God doth not remember the sins of his people and for that end be it knowne 1. God doth not in such fort remember the sins of his people as he doth remember the sins of the wicked whom he doth not pardon E. g 1. God doth not so remember the sins of his people as to punish them with or in such pure justice as hee doth punish the sins of the wicked but with or in justice tempered with fatherly love 2. He doth not punish them with revenge meerly judicial or purely vindictive I say revenge meerly judicial or purely vindictive and let it be observed 1. What I doe acknowledge 2. What I doe deny 1. I grant and acknowledge that the punishments which God doth inflict upon his people are in a sort vindictive they proceding from Gods justice and being inflicted for sin as was aforesaid and one end of the inflicting therof being to make the Saints to smart and for that cause I deny not but that such punishment which God doth inflict upon the Saints for their sins may be called and are called sometimes in Scripture vengeance and for which cause I doe fully assent unto Mr. Ainsworth's Exposition of that in Psalm 99.8 Thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengance on their inventions Where that pious and Learned Textman doth interpret by vengeance not only the punishment that in proces of time was inflicted upon the body of the rebellious people but also what was inflicted upon Moses and Aaron for their miscarriages he comparing that of the Psalmist not onely with Num. 14.20 21 23. Exod. 32.14 34 35. but moreover with Num. 20.12 Deut. 3 23 24 25. in which latter places the punishment which God did inflict upon Moses and Aaron for their sins is recorded And here let it be observed that whereas some do distinguish betwixt chastisements and punishments meaning therby the sufferings of the godly and the wicked saying that chastisements are not vindictive I cannot assent thereunto for the reasons aforesaid and which I forgot to insert in its proper place where I spake concerning the difference betwixt chastisements and punishments 2. I deny that the punishments of the Saints are revenge meerly judicially or purely vindictive as are the punishments of the wicked and the reason is evident because they proceed not from pure justice and againe albeit Gods end in inflicting them be to make them smart for their sins neverthelesse this end of Gods justice is but in subordination unto other effectual ends of his mercy or in subordination to other gracious ends which God will actually effect thereby mercy therein rejoycing as I may so say against judgement Herein the revenge which God taketh upon a penitent sinner is like to that revenge which a penitent sinner doth sometimes take upon himselfe which is not purely vindictive but in part it being upon the maine medicinal and preventive 2 Cor. 7.11 Briefly whatsoever differences have beene or can be truly assigned betwixt the temporal punishments of the

ver 12.13 Then shall ye call upon mee and yee shall goe and pray unto mee and I will hearken unto you and yee shall seeke mee and find mee when ye shall search for mee with all your heart This the Prophet Daniel understood very well though the Antinomians of these times through the just judgment of God doe seeme so blinded as not to understand things of this nature as appears by his practice I have heard it as a tradition that petty Malefactors amongst us condemned to bee burnt in the hand were to suffer the hot iron til they prayed with a loud voice God save the King And do not the Antinomians deserve to ly under the afflicting hand of God till such time as they pray with the Psalmist saying Look up on my affliction and my pain forgive all my sinnes Psal 25.18 together with the ground rise and reason of it recorded Dan. 9. beg Because hee did know gods assured purpose by his promise therefore he set his face to the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication yea with fasting sackcloth and ashes To seek God by prayer and fasting for the averting of what God hath threatned seems strange to none but to seek God by fasting and prayer for that which God hath promised infallibly to believers doth seeme so strange to Antinonians as that they account it a thing needlesse and ridiculous May God be pleased of his greatmercy to enlighten and reduce them 2. Be it considered that in the said fifth Petition of the Lords prayer we pray for forgivenesse of sinne not only as to be enjoyed after death but also in this life i.e. that present judgments which our sinnes might deservedly bring upon us may be prevented suspended moderated or if inflicted may be shortned sweetned removed sanctified and turned to our benefit for in these things as hath been already demonstrated doth consist partly the forgivenesse of sinne Now what intelligent Christian is there who will not acknowledge that they have need of such things as these viz. the preventing moderating removing sanctifying of temporall judgements and afflictions 3. Be it considered That as the Saints doe sinne daily more or lesse so their new sinns do bring a new obligation to punishment or else they could not be accounted sinners neither could they be pardoned as needing no pardon which said obligation they have need should be taken off by a particular pardon besides their first general pardon for that any sinne is pardoned afore it be committed I shal at large disprove in another Consectary for which said particular pardon a believer is according to his neede to pray to God hee having no assurance from God to obtaine either it or ought else without prayer such cause have wee to give the like counsel to the best among the godly as Simon Peter did to Simon Magus saying Repent and pray to God that thy daily sinnes may be forgiven thee 4. Be it considered which I think will generally be acknowledged that the sinnes of believers after conversion specially their more grosse false and eminent backslidings doe subject them meritoriously to the condemnation of the law and to the * Else why doth God threaten them upon their back sliding with the forfeiture of their former pardon Ezek. 18.24 Matth. 6 15. 18. lat See Mr. Burges of justification p. 242 243. forfeiture of that right which they had to the pardon of former sins by vertue of the Covenant and that these new sinnes do not de facto condemne a believer is to be ascribed to the Lord Christ by whose blood wee have an entrance into the Covenant of grace and a standing or continuance in it by his intercession Rom. 5.2 with Heb. 12.24 7.24 by which intercession the Covenant of forgivenesse or the promise of pardon is continued to be the believers discharge against all new sins and the remembrance of old Now have not believers need to pray to God that he would not take that advantage of their forfeiture of former pardon as justly hee might doe Yea is it not necessary that they should so doe as ever they doe expect that hee should not take the advantage of the said forfeiture For consider that as Jesus Christ doth intercede in heaven for the continuance of remission of sinne in the behalfe of the Saints so hee doth intercede and actually procure for them all such grace or graces as without which their pardon shall not be continued thence is he said to be exalted by God not only to give to Israel remission but also repentance not the former without the latter yea first repentance for sin and then remission of it Act. 5.31 Now what ground hath any believer to hope for the continuance of his pardon except he shal pray for it as Christ doth continue in heaven so he shall continue so long as he is on earth to make intercession for it I have been the larger in this particular not only for the reducing of the Antinomians in this point and for the information of certaine others who do think that assurance of pardon is the maine thing prayed for by believers in that Petition but moreover that every man understanding what he is to pray for and hath need to pray for in that behalf may be induced not only the more frequently but also the more feelingly and fervently to pray to the Lord for the same CHAP. XIX An answer to the three following questions 1. Doth God alwaies pardon a sinner instantly upon the confession of his sinnes 2. In what sense or how farre forth doth a sinner receive a present pardon immediately upon the confession of his sinnes 3. Whether a truly penitent and believing sinner having once confessed a sinne is at any time thereafter to confesse it in order to forgivenesse The affirmative to which last question is asserted and proved Certaine particulars added as Cautions for the preventing of mistakes and for the better understanding of the Authours true sense and meaning CONSECT XIII 13. THE premises being duly considered will assist and guide us in a right resolution of the following questions 1. Doth God alwaies pardon a sinner instantly upon the confession of his sinnes Or when shall the present promises of the text be made good to the sinner that confesseth his sins Answ Not fully for the present time or as soone as confession is made nor fully so long as he lives in this world but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is the Apostles phrase Rom. 5.6 in due season and in Gods good tme Besides the reasons forecitied in evidence thereof I shall subjoine these two considerations 1. Remission of sinne being a grace or benefit purchased by the blood of Christ as our adoption and regeneration are why should it be thought more strange that we are not fully made partakers of remission afore the day of judgment then of adoption and regeneration And yet the truth is here and so it must bee

for any sinner I mean that any sinner should enjoy the full and final pardon of his sins otherwise then upon the condition of his perseverance as was afore said This Confectary is of necessity I suppose unavoidable In Isai 30.1 The Prophet denounceth a woe to those Who take counsel but not of him and that cover with a covering but not of his Spirit I may truly say of the Antinomian Preachers that they do minister consolation but not of God and they do comfort their Disciples with comforts but not of Gods Spirit the Comforter Such is this comfort whereby they do seek to comfort their heare●s in telling them That their sins are as absolutely forgiven as if they were in heaven I do lesse wonder that the Antinomian Preachers are accounted by the ignorant and profane multitude the only comfortable Preachers for well I wot their error here is twofold 1. They comfort those to whom comfort doth not belong our commission being limited in the application of comfort only to the broken hearted which they not observing do speak peace to the wicked oft times 2 That they tender to Believers their own dreames and the fulsom luscious conceptions of their own fancies in steed of the savoury wholsome consolations of Scripture But as Elijah said to the Messengers of Ahaziah 2 Kin. 1.3 Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron So may I say unto this sort of Comforters Is it not because ye think that the comforts of Scripture are not sufficient that ye frame and feigne comforts of your own devising Or is it not because your mouthes and the mouthes of your Disciples being out of taste the comforts of Scripture do not relish but are so unsavoury that they will not down with you For my own part I know no more warrant for a Minister to create Comforts then he hath to create Commands it being as much against the sufficiency and perfection of Scripture to attempt the one as the other and as our blessed Saviour did therefore admonish his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees they teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men so have I reason to admonish Christians to take heed of the leaven in special of this leaven of Antinomian Preachers they preaching for Gospel consolations of their own framing This admonition is the rather needful 1. Because albeit it be very toothsom yet it is not therefore the more wholsome There bee sweet poysons as well as bitter 2 By how much it is more sweet by so much it is like with the more eagernesse to be swallowed The mouthes of people do water after such delicacies their ears do itch to hear such Gospel they loving to hear rather what is smooth then what is right what will please rather then what will profit what is sweet rather then what is sound according the humour of the people of old as is recorded by the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah Isal 30.9.10 This is a rebellious people lying children children that will not hear the Law of the Lord which say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophecy deceits So wee preach comforts to people though they be deceitful comforts they regard not though we cozen people yet so we comfort them they care not Jer. 5. lat The Prophets prophecy falsely and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof This Question What will ye do in the end thereof is in this case not to be omitted for consider in the next place the danger of comforting Believers by telling them That their sins are as absolutely pardoned as if they were in heaven The danger hereof will appear by what I shall next offer unto consideration as a reason of the foresaid Admonition 3 Consider the tendency of this comfort For my own part as I look upon the whole body of Antinomianisme as a Doctrine of security so I look upon this particular branch as that which tends directly to make a Christian to neglect his watch to lay downe his weapons and to cast off his Armour It is such Musick as tends to lull a Christian asleep in the Divels lap and it is Gods great mercy if he awake out of that his dream of being in heaven before he sees himself absolutely to bee in Hell I would have said more to this particular but that Mr. Baxter in his Book stiled Directions for getting and keeping Spiritual Peace and Comfort hath spoken directly and amply thereunto in his eighteenth and twentieth Direction which I shall here transcribe Know that God hath not commanded you to believe that you do believe nor that you are justified or shall be saved but only conditionally and therefore your Assurance is not a certainty properly of Divine faith Pag. 189. Direction 18. Never expect so much Assurance on earth as shall set you above all * If there be no possible danger what need of such admonitions caveats cautions as in Eph. 6.11 2 Joh. 8. 2 Pet. 3.17 Caveats need not but where danger is in some respects at least possible possibility of the losse of heaven and above all apprehensions of real danger Pag. 211. Direction 20. I shall conclude this Consectary with that Item which Ahab gave to Benhadad when swelling in his confidence 1 King 20.11 Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himself as he that putteth it off Let not any Saint militant here on earth that girdeth on his harnesse for the spiritual warfare boast himself as if he were as absolutely sure of heaven as the Saints now triumphant who have put it off CHAP. XXVIII That the repentance which the Gospel requires is not only repentance from the pardon of our sins as the Antinomians affirm but for the pardon of them proved and evinced by several Arguments Several Objections of the Antinomians answered wherein it is punctually declared In what sense Evangelical Repentance may be said to be from pardon of sin and in what sense for the pardon of it It is disputable whether Gods glory and our own salvation are to be looked at as two ends or only as one the former being a necessary result of the latter An Objection answered That it is a singular favour of God and a favour in some sense peculiar to the times of the New Testament that God hath so cleerly revealed unto us our eternal salvation as the great end not excluding but including his glory of mans working or of all Christian duty That good works may be stiled the way to salvation That the difference betwixt the Covenant of Work and of Grace lyes not in this that Adam was to work for life and we not for but only from life Our own good works duties graces or holinesse how far forth or