Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT763 .B35 1655

( 39) thence to aril? ( at lea; its diflinE7 from all other following obedi- enceas is aforefaid) yet,in taking Chrift for King, it effentially con- taineth a Refolution andCoven/at to obey him. 23 ThoughRepentan, e,being a condition ofthe promifeofpardon, Lave. thefame formalinterdi for k:nd in our pardon as Faith, yet in that they are made conditions upon feveral grounds, andfrom very different Riafons in the nature of the ilas, therefore there is agreat difference to beput between one and the other in this bufinefs. Faith is therefore made the condition, becaufe in its nature it isfitteddireflly ad ipfamRemiflionem ; It is commandedandappointed to this office, for the immediate neceffity and fitnefs of it, to our obtaining pardon as pardon : For it is not Repentance, but Faith, which is the accepting et-receiving applying AEI or grace (which is calledits Infirumenta- Thy 6y Divines : and if thisconceffion will fatisfie, I Jhouldbe glad :) But Repentance is made acondition of pardon, on another reafon, ( though as necePry ) viz. Becasife Without it God and the. Re- deemer cannot have their end in pardoning ut, nor can the Redeemer do all his work,for Whichwe do accept bim. For his Work is, upon the pardoning ofus, to bring us backin heart andlife to God, fromwhom we werefallen and firayed. This was Chrifts work, to feekand Pave that which was loft. To be loft, is to lore God. To befaved, is to be brought back to god. Therefore the conditions which Chrifl maketh are, as.ifhe fhouldfay, ifyou will be faved by me, and are willing thatI (hall bring you back toGod, I will both bring you into his favorby pardon, and into a capacity ofperfonal pleating and en- joying him. lloW our Repentance is our confent to return to God, and the change of our minds, by turning fromformerfin that Was our Idol, and being willing by Cbrill. to be reflored to obedience. Vriderfland therefore (as Ifhallfay more anon) that pardon ofpaft fins, -is a- flep toour futureSannity and Obedience, as one of its ends. Therefore dothChrifi pardon what it paft, that We may be in a capacity accept- ably to return to Godby obodience. And therefore we muff far, t turn to him by Repentance, ,which is apurpofe of obedience, before he Will pardon us. For Without this he cannot attain the ends of his pardon- ing us. I have Animadverfions from a mofi Judicious Learned Divine, that thinks indeed Repentance and Faith to be all one t and many others are of that mind. In force refpeEl it may befly: but not in all : ofwhich Ilenot(land to fpeaknow. This 1 fal,that men mayfee Idonat.Level FaithWithRepentance, much P61.2. Cor 6.20. loh.10,17. ai /3i Luke 5 31,32, & 24.47. Aft.5.3 z Heb.6.1. & 6. x z. Aa.2.38. & 17.30 & 26.20. & 3. 19. Luk.1.26. Hof.14.2. PfaL22, 27. Fzek.i4.6. 8c 18 30,32, & 33. ler.37.14,

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