The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

To say [Thou shalt perfectly obey] to a man that hath already disobeyed, and is unfitted for perfect obedience, is no sufficient direction for his pardon and recovery. Perhaps you'll say, That God's gracious Nature is instead of a Law of Grace or Promise. But though that be the spring of all our hopes, yet that cannot justly quiet the sinner of it self alone, because he is just as well as merciful, and Justice hath its objects, and pardon dependeth on the free-will of God, which cannot be known to us without its proper signs. The Devils may say that the Nature of God is good and gracious, and so may any condemned malefactor say of a good and gracious Judge and King; and yet that is but a slender reason to prove his impunity or pardon. All will confess, that absolute pardon of all men would be unbeseeming a wise and righteous Governor. And if it must be conditional, who but God can tell what must be the condition? If you say, That Nature telleth us, That converting Repentance is the condition. I answer, 1 Nature telleth us, That God cannot damn a holy loving Soul, that hath his Image: but yet it telleth us not, That this is the only or whole condition. 2. It is not such a Repentance as lieth but in a frightened wish, that the sin had not been done, but such a one as consisteth in the change of the mind, and heart, and life, and containeth a hatred to the sin repented of, and a love to God and Holiness: and we have as much need of a Saviour to help us to this repentance, as to help us to a pardon.

To say [Thou shalt perfectly obey] to a man that hath already disobeyed, and is unfitted for perfect obedience, is no sufficient direction for his pardon and recovery. Perhaps you'l say, That God's gracious Nature is instead of a Law of Grace or Promise. But though that be the spring of all our hopes, yet that cannot justly quiet the sinner of it self alone, because he is just as well as merciful, and Justice hath its objects, and pardon dependeth on the free-will of God, which cannot be known to us without its proper signs. The Devils may say that the Nature of God is good and gracious, and so may any condemned malefactor say of a good and gracious Judge and King; and yet that is but a slender reason to prove his impunity or pardon. All will confess, that absolute pardon of all men would be unbeseeming a wise and righteous Governour. And if it must be conditional, who but God can tell what must be the condition? If you say, That Nature telleth us, That converting Repentance is the condition. I answer, 1 Nature telleth us, That God cannot damn a holy loving Soul, that hath his Image: but yet it telleth us not, That this is the only or whole condition. 2. It is not such a Repentance as lieth but in a frightned wish, that the sin had not been done, but such a one as consisteth in the change of the mind, and heart, and life, and containeth a hatred to the sin repented of, and a love to God and Holiness: and we have as much need of a Saviour to help us to this repentance, as to help us to a pardon.