The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

Now these things being supposed, although the Blood of Christ was a price so precious, that it can only be valued by God that received it, and might worthily have redeemed a thousand Worlds, yet the effects of it are to be dispensed according to the Eternal Covenant between the Father and the Son, and the tenor of it is revealed in the Gospel, viz. that Repentance and Faith are the conditions, upon which the obtaining pardon of sin, and all the blessings which are the consequents of it depends: thus Christ who makes Satisfaction, and God that accepts it, declare. The Commission of the Apostles from his own mouth was to preach Repentance, ¹and Remission of sins in his name to all Nations: and he was exalted by God to be a Prince, ²and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sin.

1. 1Luke 24.47.
2. 2Acts 5.31.

The establishing of this order is not a mere positive command, wherein the will of the Law-giver is the sole ground of our duty; but there is a special congruity and reason in the nature of the thing it self. For Christ hath satisfied Justice, that God may exercise pardoning Mercy in such a manner as is suitable to his other perfections. Now 'tis contrary to his Wisdom to dispense the precious benefits of his Sons Blood to impenitent Unbelievers; to give such rich Pearls, and so dearly bought, to Swine that will trample them under their feet; to bestow ⟨p. 284⟩Salvation on those who despise the Saviour. 'Tis contrary to his Holiness to forgive those who will securely abuse his favour, as if his pardon were a privilege and license to sin against him. Nay, final Impenitency is unpardonable to Mercy it self. For the objects of Justice and Mercy cannot be the same: now an impenitent sinner is necessarily under the revenging Justice of God. 'Tis no disparagement to his omnipotency that he cannot save such. For although God can do whatsoever he will, yet he can will nothing but what is agreeable to his Nature. Not that there is any Law above God, that obliges him to act, but he is a Law to himself. And the more excellent his perfections are, the less he can contradict them. As 'tis no reflection upon his power that he cannot die, neither is it that he can do nothing unbecoming his perfections. On the contrary, it implies weakness to be liable to any such act. Thus supposing the Creature Holy, it is impossible but he should love it, not that he owes any thing to the Creature, but in regard he is infinitely good: and if impenitent and obstinate in sin, he cannot but hate and punish it; not that he is accountable for his Actions, but because he is infinitely Just. And from hence it appears, that the requiring of Repentance and Faith in order to the actual partaking of the blessings our Redeemer purchased, doth not diminish the value of his Satisfaction, they being not the causes of pardon, but necessary qualifications in the subject that receives it.