Answ. 1. I am to believe fide divina, that Christ hath purchased and enacted a conditional pardon, which is universal, and therefore extendeth to my sins as well as to other men's; and that he commandeth his ministers to offer me this, and therein to offer me the actual pardon of all my sins, to be mine if I truly repent and believe: and that if I do so, my sins are actually pardoned. And I am obliged accordingly to believe in Christ, and take him for my Saviour, for the pardon of my sins. But this is all the meaning of the creed, and Scripture, and all that is of divine belief. 2. But that I am actually pardoned, is not of divine faith, but only on supposition that I first believe; which Scripture telleth not, whether I do or not. In strict sense, I must first believe in Christ for pardon: and next, in a larger sense, I must believe that I am pardoned; that is, I must so conclude by an act of reason, one of the premises being de fide, and the other of internal self-knowledge.
Quest. XII. May a man trust in his own faith or repentance for his pardon and justification, in any kind?
Answ. Words must be used with respect to the understanding of the hearers; and perilous expressions must be avoided lest they deceive men. But de re, 1. You must not trust to your faith or repentance, to do that which is proper to God, or to Christ, or to the gospel, or for any more than their own part, which Christ hath assigned them. 2. You must trust to your faith and repentance for that which is truly their own part. And should you not trust them at all, you must needs despair, or trust presumptuously to you know not what: for Christ will not be instead of faith or repentance to you.
Quest. XIII. What are the several causes and conditions of pardon?
Answ. 1. God the Father is the principal efficient, giving us Christ, and pardon with and through him. 2. Christ's person by his sacrifice and merits is the meritorious cause. 3. The gospel covenant or promise is the instrumental cause, or God's pardoning act or grant. 4. Repentance is the condition sine qua non, directly gratia finis, in respect to God, to whom we must turn. 5. Faith in Christ is the condition sine qua non, directly gratia medii principalis, in respect to the Mediator, who is thereby received. 6. The Holy Ghost worketh us to these conditions.
Tit. 2. Directions for Obtaining Pardon from God.
Direct. I. Understand well the office of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, and what it is that he hath done for sinners, and what he undertaketh further to do. For if you know not Christ's office and undertaking, you will either be ignorant of your true remedy, or will deceive yourselves by a presumptuous trust, that he will do that which is contrary to his office and will.
Direct. II. Understand well the tenor of the covenant of grace; for there it is that you must know what Christ will give, and to whom, and on what terms.
Direct. III. Understand well the nature of true faith and repentance; or else you can neither tell how to obtain pardon, nor to judge of it.
Direct. IV. Absolutely give up yourselves to Christ, in all the offices of a Mediator, Priest, Prophet, and King. And think not to be justified by one act or part of christianity, by alone believing in Christ as a sacrifice for sin. To be a true believer and to be a true christian is all one; and is the faith in Christ which is the condition of justification and salvation. Study the baptismal covenant; for the believing in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost there meant, is the true faith, which is the condition of our pardon.