Graphautarkeia, or, The Scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated wherein whatsoever is contain'd in Scripture, respecting doctrine, worship or manners is reduced to its proper head, weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, difficult texts illustrated and explained by others more plain.

CHAP. X. Pardon and remission of sins, reconciliation and peace with God; Justification and Sanctification before God; eter∣nal-life and Salvation, free through the grace of God only; by the death, sacrifice and sufferings of Christ with∣out Works. (Book 10)

In General.

THis is the true grace of God wherein ye stand, 1 Pet. 5. 12.

The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, John 1. 17.

If by grace, then is it no more works, otherwise grace is no more grace: but if it be of works then is it no more of grace, otherwise work is no more work, &c. That he might have mercy on all, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom, &c. Rom. 11. 6, 32, 33.

We are the Circumcision who worship God in spirit, rejoyce in Christ, have no confidence in the flesh, Phil. 3. 3.

We are come, &c. to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel, Heb. 12. 24.

Who testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which should follow, 1 Pet. 1. 11.

In Particular. Pardon of Sins.

The Lord proclaimed himself, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra∣cious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, &c. Forgiving ini∣quity, transgression and sin, Exod. 34. 6, 7.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered; blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Psal. 32. 1, 2, 5.

As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away, Psal. 65. 3.

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared, Psal. 130. 4.

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wooll, Isa. 1. 18.

I am he who blotteth out thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins, Isa. 43. 35.

I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy

sins. Sing, O Heavens, for the Lord hath done it, Isa. 44. 22, 23.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, &c. the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, &c. he shall bear their ini∣quities, Isa. 53. 5, 6, 11.

Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for he will abundantly pardon (or, multiply pardons): for my thoughts are not your thoughts, &c. Isa. 55. 7, 8, 9.

I will make a new Covenant, &c. for I will forgive their iniquity, and will remember their sins no more, Jer. 31. 31, 34. Heb. 10. 17, 18.

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have transgressed against me, Jer. 33. 8.

In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them whom I reserve, Jer. 50. 20.

Seventy weeks are determined, &c. to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, &c. the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself, &c. Dan. 9. 24, 26.

Who is a God like unto thee? who pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, &c. thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea, Mic. 7. 18, 19.

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness, Zech. 13. 1.

Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins, Mat. 1. 21.

Jesus said to the sick of the Palsie, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgi∣ven thee, &c. Ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to for∣give sins, Mat. 9. 2, 6.

All manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven to men, but the blas∣phemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoe∣ver speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him in this world, neither in the world to come, Mat. 12. 31, 32.

To give knowledg of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins through the tender mercies of our God, whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us, Luke 1. 77, 78.

I say unto thee, Her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven thee, Luke 7. 48, 49.

It behoveth Christ to suffer, &c. and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, Luke 24. 46, 47.

Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, John 1. 29.

Repent, &c. that your sins may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus, &c. Acts 3. 19, 20.

Jesus, &c. hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Sa∣viour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, Acts 5. 30, 31.

To him gave all the prophets witness, That through his name whosoever be∣lieveth in him, shall receive remission of sins, Acts 10. 43.

Be it known unto you, &c. that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins, Acts 13. 38.

To open the eyes, &c. that they may receive forgiveness of sins, &c. Acts 26. 18.

Whom God hath set forth (or, fore-ordained) to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission (or passing o∣ver) of sins, Rom. 3. 25.

Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures, &c. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15. 3, 56, 57.

God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their tre∣spasses unto them, &c. For he hath made him to be sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21.

Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, Gal. 1. 3, 4.

In whom ye have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, ac∣cording to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded, &c. Eph. 1. 7, 8. Col. 1. 14.

And you, &c. hath he quickned together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, Col. 2. 13.

Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all ini∣quity, Tit. 2. 13, 14.

His Son, &c. when he had by himself purged our sins, sate down, Hebr. 1. 2, 3.

Wherefore it behoveth him to be made like unto his brethren, &c. to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, Heb. 2. 17.

I will be merciful unto their unrighteousnesses, and their sins, and their ini∣quities I will remember no more, Heb. 8. 12.

If the blood of bulls, &c. sanctifieth, &c. how much more shall the blood of Christ who offered himself, &c. purge our consciences, &c. by means of death for the redemption of the transgression. Without shedding of blood, no re∣mission of sin, &c. Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put a∣way sin by the sacrifice of himself, &c. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, Heb. 9. 13, 14, 15, 22, 26, 28.

This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sate down, Heb. 10. 12.

Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on (or to) the tree, &c. by whose stripes ye were healed, 1 Pet. 2. 24.

Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God, 1 Pet. 3. 13.

The blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin, &c. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 1 Joh. 1. 7, 9.

If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righ∣teous, and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world, &c. I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake, 1 John. 2. 1, 2, 12.

He was manifested to take away our sins, &c. 1 John 3. 5.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, 1 John 4. 10.

Jesus Christ, &c. who hath loved us, and washed us with his own blood from our sins, Rev. 1. 5.

Reconciliation to, and peace with God.

Fury is not in me, &c. Let him take hold of my strength; he may make peace with me; he shall make peace with me, Isa. 27. 4, 5.

The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake, Isa. 42. 21.

The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed, Isa. 53. 5.

Seventy weeks are determined, &c. to make reconciliation for iniquity, Dan. 9. 24.

He shall be a Priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be be∣tween them both, Zech. 6. 12, 13.

This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, Mat. 3. 17.

Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and unto your Father; and unto my God and your God, John. 20. 17.

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, Acts 10. 36.

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, &c. We say in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the Atonement, Rom. 5. 1, 10, 11.

God, who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath com∣mitted unto us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses, &c. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19.

The glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, Eph. 1. 6.

But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by he blood of Christ; for he is our peace, who hath made both one, hath bro∣ken down the middle-wall of partition between us; hath abolished in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments in ordinances, for to ma•…•…e in himself of twain one new man, so making pea•…•…. That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, (or, in himself) and came and preached peace to you who were far off, and to them who are near, &c. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners, but fellow∣citizens with the saints, and of the houshold of God, Eph. 2. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 8, 19.

And having made (or, making) peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, whether they be things, &c. And you who were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, &c. Col. 1. 20, 21, 22.

It behoveth him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a mer∣ciful and faithful High-Priest, &c. to make reconciliation for the sins of the peo∣ple, Heb. 2. 17.

Who his own self bare our sins, &c. by whose stripes ye were healed: for ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bi∣shop of our souls, 1 Pet. 2. 24, 25.

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3. 18.

Justification and Sanctification before God.

Let not them who wait on thee, O Lord God of Hosts, be ashamed for my sake; let not those who seek thee, be confounded for my sake, O God of Is∣rael; because for thy sake I have born reproach, shame hath covered my face; I am become a stranger to my brethren, &c. for the zeal of thine house, &c. and the reproaches of them who reproached thee, have fallen upon me, &c. Psal. 69. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, &c.

Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength, &c. in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory, Isa. 45. 24, 25.

By his knowledg shall my righteous servant justifie many; for he shall bear their iniquities, Isa. 53. 11.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your fil∣thiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you, &c. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses, &c. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord God, in the day that I shall have clean∣sed you from all your iniquities, &c. Ezek. 36. 22, 25, 29, 32, 33.

The Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come, &c. for he is like a refiners fire, &c. He shall purifie the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, &c. then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, Mal. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.

The Pharisee prayed thus: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, &c. I fast twice a week, &c. And the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, &c. saying, God be merciful unto me a sinner. I tell you, This man went down unto his house ju∣stified, rather than the other, Luke 18. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

And by him all who believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses, Acts 13. 39.

Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith, Rom. 1. 17.

The righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them who believe, &c. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth, &c. to declare his righteousness, &c. to declare, I say, his righteous∣ness; that he might be just, and the justifier of them who believe in Jesus: where is boasting then, &c? Wherefore we conclude, That a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, Rom. 3. 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him who worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him who worketh not, but believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted unto him for righteousness, even as David describeth the bles∣sedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, &c. He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, &c. that he might be the father of them who believe, though they be not circum∣cised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also, &c. for the promise, &c. not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law; but through the righ∣teousness of faith, &c. It was imputed to him for righteousness: now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed unto him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him who raised up Jesus, &c. who was de∣livered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 13, 22, 23, 24, 25.

Being justified by faith, &c. much more then being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved, &c. The free gift of many offences unto justification, &c. As by one offence judgment came upon all to condemnation; even so by the righ∣teousness of one (or, by one righteousness) the free gift came upon all men to justification of life, &c. By the obedience of one shall many be made righte∣ous, Rom. 5. 1, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, &c. Whom he did foreknow, &c. them he also justified, &c. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God who justifieth: Who is he who condemneth? it is Christ who died, yea rather that is risen again, &c. Rom. 8. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 29, 30, 33, 34.

The Gentiles who followed not after righteousness, have attained unto righ∣teousness, &c. which is of faith. But Israel who followed after the law of righ∣teousness, hath not attained unto the law of righteousness. Wherefore? because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, Rom. 9. 30, 31, 32.

They being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God: for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believeth, &c. The righteousness which is of faith saith on this wise, &c. for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, Rom. 10. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, &c. 1 Cor. 1. 30.

But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 6. 11.

God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their tre∣spasses to them. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21.

A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we believe, &c. that we may be justified by the faith of Christ, and not, &c. Gal. 2. 19.

Paul to the Galatians doth argue this at large, Gal. 3.

We through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, &c. Gal. 5. 5.

Christ gave himself, &c. that he might sanctifie and cleanse it, &c. that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish, Ephes. 5. 25, 26, 27.

When Paul above any others had whereof to boast for his exactness in keeping the Law, he said, But what things were gain to me, them (or, those) I count∣ed loss for Christ, &c. that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not ha∣ving mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

And you, &c. hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight, Colos. 1. 21, 22.

And ye are compleat in him, who is the head of all principalities, &c. Col. 2. 10.

Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all ini∣quity, and purifie unto himself a peculiar people, Tit. 2. 14.

After that the loving-kindness of God appeared, &c. not by works of righ∣teousness which we have done, &c. that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs, &c. Tit. 3. 4, 5, 7.

Who, &c. when he had by himself purged our sins, sate down, &c. Heb. 1. 3.

If the blood of bulls, &c. sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, &c. purge your consciences from dead works, &c. Heb. 9. 13, 14.

By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, &c. by one offering he hath for ever perfected them who are sanctified, &c. Heb. 10. 10, 14.

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate, &c. Heb. 13. 12.

Who his own self bare our sins, &c. by whose stripes we were healed, 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isa. 53. 5.

Jesus, &c. who hath loved us, and washed us with his own blood, &c. Rev. 1. 5.

These were redeemed (or, bought) from among men, &c. they were without fault before the throne of God, Rev. 14. 4, 5.

Eternal life and Salvation.

The just shall live by his faith, Hab. 2. 4.

Christ said unto Zacheus, This day is salvation come to this house, &c. for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost, Luk. 19. 9, 10.

So must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life, &c. He who believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, &c. John 3. 14, 15, 16, 36.

Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life, John 5. 40.

The bread of God is he who cometh down from heaven, and giveth life un∣to the world, &c, I am the bread of life, &c. This is the will of him who sent me, that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day, &c. This is the bread which came down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not dye. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world, &c. Whoso eateth my flesh, &c. hath e∣ternal life, &c. As, &c. I live by the Father: so he who eateth me, even he shall live by me, &c. Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life, John 6. 33, 35, 40, 50, 51, 54, 57, 58, 68. John 5. 24.

I am the dore; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, &c. I am come, that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. My sheep hear my voice, &c. and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, John 10. 9, 10, 27, 28.

Because I live, ye shall live also, John 14. 19.

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him, John 17. 2.

These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name, John 20. 31.

Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of his disciples, &c. But we believe, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they, Acts 15. 10, 11.

I send thee (said Christ to Paul) to open their eyes, &c. that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them who are sanctified through faith that is in me, Acts 26. 17, 18.

Being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him, &c. much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life, &c. If by one of∣fence death reigned by one; much more they who receive abundance of

grace, &c. shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ, &c. that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 5. 9, 10, 17, 21.

The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6. 23.

Whom he justifies, them also he glorifies. What shall we say? &c. Rom. 8. 30, 31.

I declare unto you the Gospel, &c. by which also ye are saved, if, &c. 1 Cor. 15. 1, 2, 3.

In Christ, &c. in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, Ephes. 1. 11.

God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickned us together with Christ. By grace are ye saved, that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding ri∣ches of his grace, &c. for by grace are ye saved through faith, &c. not by works, lest any man should boast, Ephes. 2. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9.

Christ in (or, amongst) you the hope of glory, Col. 1. 27.

Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. 10.

God hath not appointed us unto wrath; but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who dyed for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him, 1 Thes. 5. 9, 10. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Chap. 2. 10, 11.

Believe on him to life everlasting, 1 Tim. 1. 16.

Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immor∣tality to light through the gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 10.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he hath saved us, &c. Tit. 3. 5.

He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them who obey him, Heb. 5. 9. Ephes. 5. 23.

By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us, &c. they who were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance, &c. He shall appear, &c. unto salvation, Heb. 9. 12. 15, 28.

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, 1 Pet. 1. 9.

The God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus, 1 Pet. 5. 10.

And this is the promise which he hath promised us, eternal life, 1 Joh. 2. 25. 2 Tim. 1. 1.

In this was manifest the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him, 1 Joh. 4. 9.

This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son; he who hath the Son, hath life, &c. 1 John 5. 10, 11, 12.

Keep your selves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus, unto eternal life, Jude v. 21.

See more in the next Chapter.