priest, and a noble
intercessor, would remember, that "Christ is a prince exalted, to give
repentance and remission of sins;" and so expect the sentence even from
him, as a prince now exalted, and as having obtained that of the Father,
even a power to forgive sins, justice being now sufficiently satisfied,
through his death; yea, and as having all power in heaven and in earth,
as being Lord both of the dead and of the living. Sure a right thought
of this would much quiet the soul, in hope of obtaining pardon through
him; seeing now the pardon is in his own hand, to give out, who loved
them so dearly, that he gave himself to the death for them, and shed his
heart blood to satisfy justice for their transgressions. Since he who
hath procured their pardon at so dear a rate, and is their attorney to
agent their business at the throne of grace, hath now obtained the
prayed-for and looked-for pardon, and hath it in his own hand, they will
not question but he will give it, and so absolve them from their guilt.

12. The believer, having taken this course with his daily provocations,
and laid them all on him, would aquiesce in this way, and not seek after
another, that he may obtain pardon. Here he would rest, committing the
matter by faith in prayer to Christ, and leaving his guilt and sins on
him, expect the pardon, yea, conclude, that they are already pardoned;
and that for these sins, he shall never be brought unto condemnation,
whatever Satan and a misbelieving heart may say or suggest afterward.

Thus should a believer make use of Christ, for the taking away of the
guilt of his daily transgressions; and for further clearing of it, I
shall add a few cautions.

CAUTIONS.

1. However the believer is to be much moved at, and affected with his
sins and provocations, which he committeth after God hath visited his
soul with salvation, and brought him into a covenant with himself, yet
he must not suppose, that his sins after justification do mar his state;
as if thereby he were brought into a non-justified state, or to a
non-reconciled state. It is true, such sins, especially if gross,
whether in themselves, or by reason of circumstances, will darken a
man's state, and put him to search and try his condition over again. But
yet we dare not say, that they make any alteration in the state of a
believer; for once in a justified state always in a justified state. It
is true likewise, that as to those sins, which now he hath commit