ICES A P. 9, .. Repentance no Condition of 7uffi fication, ; 71 what was it , teat they ,did ? They gladly received his word, that is ; wil- lingly and cheerfully they embraced the Gofpel , and fo were added to the Church. Ohj; 3. He citeth Ail. 26:20. that they should repent d return to God , and -do works , meet for repentance. dnf. But here is no mention made of Juftifi- cation , or of Remiffion of fins; And who denieth , but people are to Re- pent , & return to God , & dó.works meet for Repentance This is not the thing;, that is here in queftioü. If he mean verf. IS. where it is laid. To open -their eyes, ¿7 to turne them from darknefs to light , fir from the power of Satan un- to God , that they may receive forgivneJi of fins & inheritance among them , that are fanftifed by Faith;thatis in me. I Anf.. There is no word of Repentance here , but exprefs mention made ofFaith. It is true, turning from darknefs to light 5e. will include Repentance Yet it it by Faith , that bath Forgivnefs of fins , &the Inheritance, & Santification is had ; for by Faith that is in me , may referre to all thefe three : And though this should be denied ; Yet all that could be hence inferred,would amount but to this , That Repentance is neceffarily called for itii thefe , who receive forgivnefs andtheInherì- tance, or would receive them. But all this is nothing to our prefent que- Ilion. ' Obj. 4. He citeth in the Margine Luk. 24:4.7. And that Repentance Re- miffion of fins should be preached in his name. And Luk. i 5: 7. I fay unto you , -that li(ewï fe joy shall be in heaven over one finner , that repenteth. An f, This laft place maketh no mention of Pardon , or of J uf'<ification , & only faith, that Repentance will Include Faith , & doth import the whole Converfion of a fumer unto God , whereof Faith in Chrift is the firft & chiefe ftep. As to the other place , we told before that by Repentance here is anderftood all that duty , which is called for in the Gofpel, this being a short fumure of the whole preaching of the Gofpel , & that therefore by Remiffion of fins all the bleffings & favours , that (inners need & are promifed in the,Gof- fpel,muft be underftood.So-that this maketh nothing againft us : Yea if the - fe two exprefl'ions were (trickly to be taken , it would give ground to inferre, that Repentance alone were the Condition of Remiffion. But what faith all this CO the purpofe now in hand ? do any of thefe expreffions give the leaft solo :se to inferre , that Repentanceftrickly taken bath the fame ufe & In- ierell in juftificaticn, that Faith bath ? Obj. ç. Others po(lib y may urge A. S: 22. Repent therefore of this thy wic- hedne fs , d.s pray God,, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Anf, (i) If this place prove any thing that way , it will fay as much for the Interefl of Prayer in Juftification, equal to the Interefl of Faith ; as for the Intereft of Rcepentanc,,e. (2) Yea & plead for thefe only with exclufion of Faith , or at leaft for the Sufficiency of Repentance & prayer without Faith, which is not here exprefly mentioned. (3) But Repent here is taken in a coin- prehenfivefenfe, as including Faith, its ground & Caufe, & whereof it is the expreffive evidence, & fenfible effe t; So that the prefence of Repen- tance in filch , as would be Pardoned , may hence be well inferred: which is granted necefíary, upon Several accounts, but the prefent queflion is, Z z whether 44
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