n!!!!17:77 148 Forgiveneß with Gocl, &c. Pfa1. i 30. fay poor convinced finners, we are poor, dark and ignorant creatures ; or we are old in tin , or great finners , or back- Hiders, or have fallen often into the fame fins ; can we expel there thould be forgivenefs for us ? Why you are under Gods Invitation to Repentance ; and to disbelieve forgiven(, is to call the Truth, Holinefs and Faithfulnefs of God into quef}ion. Ifyouwill not believe forgiveneß, pretend what you pleafe, it is in truth becaufe you hate Repentance. You do but deceive your fouls when you pretend you come not up to Repentance, becaufe you cannot believeforgivenefs. For in the very Infti.. tutionof this duty God engageth all his Properties tomake it good that he hath pardon and mercy for finners. 4. Much 'Ss caufe is there to doubt offorgiveneß, where jncere Repentance is in any meafure wrought. No foul comes to Repentance but upon Gods call. God calls none but whom- he hathmercy for upon their coming. And as for thofe who fin againft the Holy Ghof{, as they Phut themfelves out from forgiveneß, fo they are not called toRepentance. 5. God'exprefly declares in the Scripture, that the forgive- nets that is with him, is the foundation of his prefcribing re- pentance untoman. One inflame may fuffice, Ifa. 5 5. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way ( VL! l a perverfe wicked one; Jt W'!) and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, andhe will have mercy , and to our God , far r7Ito5 n41! he will muitipÿ to pardon. You fee to whom he fpeaks ; tomenperverfely wicked, and filch as make a trade of finning. What doth he call them unto ? plainly to Repentance, to the duty we have infitied on. But what is the ground of fuch an invitation, unto fuch profligate finners í? Why, the abuudantforgiveneß and pardon that is with him,fuper-abound. ing unto what the worft, of them can bland in need of: as E.om. 5. 20. And this is another way whereby God hath revealed that there is forgiveneßwith him : and an infallible bottomfor faith tobuild upon in its approaches unto God it is. Nor can the certainty of thisEvidence be called into queflion, but on fach grounds as are derogatory to the Glory and Honour of God. And this connexion ofRepentance and forgivenef is that prin. ciple
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