Chapter XXIII. That Sins that have been punished, and are not reiterated, cannot hurt us

But now the Will being changed, and the Body brought into servitude, and so the Fountain being in some measure dried up, and the inlet stopt, there remains yet a third and an harder thing to be done, to wit, the purging of the Memory, and emptying of the Sink. For how shall my life be got out of my memory? A vile and thin membrane has wholly imbib'd a strong ink, and by what art shall it be blotted out? For it has not only dyed the upper superficies, but has penetratively sunk into it all. In vain should I labour to scratch it out, the Paper would be sooner cut in pieces, than the sad Characters would be expung'd. For perhaps oblivion might be able to destroy my very Memory, to wit, that losing my senses, I might not remember what Sins I have committed. But that my memory should remain entire, and yet the spots of it should be done out, what Rasor could effect it? Nothing can do it but the living and efficacious Word, more penetrating than any two-edged Sword: Thy sins are forgiven thee, Mar. 2. v. 5. Let the Pharisee grumble, and say; Who can forgive sins but God only? For he who speaks that to me, is God; and he shall not be esteemed another from him, who has invented every way of discipline, and has given it to Jacob his child, and to Israel his beloved one: Besides this, he was seen in our earth, and he conversed with men, Bar. 3. His pardon blots out sin, not indeed that it should not at all abide in the memory, but that what formerly was wont both to be in the memory, and to infect it, may hereafter be so in the memory, as it shall by no means discolour or stain it. For we remember many sins which we know to have been committed by our selves, or others; but our own sins only defile us, others do not hurt us. And why this, but because we are singularly ashamed of these, and these we fear shall singularly be imputed to us? Take away Damnation, take away Fear, take away Confusion, all which a full Pardon absolutely takes away; and they shall not only not hurt us, but shall also cooperate to our good, to make us devoutly return thanks to him who has pardoned them.