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?