love him." Waiting on God, or waiting for him, in the Old Testament, is the same with faith and trust in God; and therefore is the same with what is called faith or believing, in the New Testament. But for this, St. Paul uses the word love, which he would not have done, had not love been so essential to faith, and so far implied in it, that to trust or believe in God, and to love him, express nearly the same idea, and are in a measure sy

nonymous.

The words of Christ to Nicodemus represent love as implied in saving faith, and essential to it. "He that believeth on him, is not condemned: But he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."* On these words may be observed the following things.

1. That our Saviour here represents men as condemned, or not, according as they believe on him, or not. He that believeth is not condemned: But he that believeth not is condemned.

2. That the ground of this condemnation is their loving darkness, and hating the light or truth. It follows from this, that loving darkness is the reason and ground of unbelief; and therefore that the love of the truth is necessary in order to believing on the Son of God, and is implied in it. Yea, it appears from this representation, that loving darkness rather than light, and so refusing to come to the light, is unbelief itself. And therefore, coming to the truth in the love of it, or in the exercise of love, is saving faith.

This is very parallel with St. Paul's account of this matter. He says, "Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should belief a lie That they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrightcousness." It appears from these words, that not receiving the love of the truth, or not loving the truth, and †2 Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12.

⚫ John iii. 18, 19, 20.

not believing the truth, are one and the same thing: And that having pleasure in unrighteousness, and believing the truth, are opposite to each other; therefore receiving the love of the truth, or loving it, and believing the truth, are not distinct exercises, but one and the same. What our Saviour says to the Jews, implies, that love to God is essential to saving faith. "I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only ?"* Here Christ ascribes their unbelief, and rejecting him, to their want of love to God; and speaks of their unbelief as an evidence that they had no love. Therefore, love is here represented as so essential to faith, that where there is no love, there can be no faith. And faith is such a concomitant of love, that where there is no faith, it is certain there is no love. And the last words do plainly assert, that it is impossible any one should believe on Christ, who has no suitable respect or love to God.

Other passages of scripture hold forth the same truth; but it is needless to mention them particularly, since those which have been mentioned are so clear and express on the point before us. And if this were not so, and there were no such scriptures to be produced; the truth asserted may be demonstrated from what has been before proved from scripture respecting divine illumination, and saving faith, viz. That true faith implies a right taste and exercise of heart, which can be nothing but love: And the light and discerning which is essential to faith, implies disinterested benevolence, or love. And who can help seeing that approbation of the character of Christ, and receiving and trusting in him as the Saviour of sinners, which has been shown is the scripture account of faith, does necessarily imply, and really is, love to him? From all this the perfect consistency of the scripture on this head is apparent; and that it is agreeable to the reason and nature of things.

John v. 42, 43, 44.

IV. It appears from the scripture that true repentance is included in saving faith: That repentance comes into the nature and essence of faith, so that where there is no repentance, there is not, nor can be, any saving faith.

This will be evident to any one, who will well observe the following things:

1. The scripture represents repentance as necessary in order to pardon. We are told that John did "preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."* That is, he preached repentance, as necessary in order to their obtaining forgiveness. Jesus Christ taught his disciples," that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." That is, that forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed and offered to all that should repent, and to none but such; to which exercises all should be invited and called. Accordingly, we find the apostles preached agreeable to this direction. "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins."‡ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out."

2.

As repentance is necessary in order to forgiveness, so forgiveness of sins is promised to repentance. The passages mentioned under the foregoing particular are so full and express in this, that it is needless to repeat them, or to turn to others which assert the same thing. As repentance is required, in order to forgiveness, so forgiveness is connected with repentance.

3. Faith is represented in scripture as the only condition of pardon and salvation by Christ: As that without which no man shall be forgiven and saved; and to which pardon and salvation are promised. "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life: And he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." To him give all the Prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins."** A great number of passages to the same purpose might be cited.

• Mark i. 4.
|| Mark xvi. 16.

† Luke xxiv. 47.
¶John viii. 36.

Acts ii. 38.
Acts x. 43.

Acts iii. 19.

From these premises it follows, that saving faith and repentance are not two distinct exercises, but imply and include cach other, so that repentance comes into the nature and essence of faith. There is no other possible supposition by which the scripture account of this matter can be reconciled. If he who believes is forgiven, and shall be saved, and he who believeth not is con-demned; and yet no one is forgiven, or shall be saved, unless he repent; and pardon and salvation are promised to repentance; then he who believes, does also repent, and he who does not repent, does not believe : Which could not be true, unless repentance and faith imply each other, so that there is faith in evangelical repentance, and repentance comes into the nature of saving faith, and is essential to it. Faith and repentance are not two distinct parallel conditions of pardon and salvation. They cannot be so, consistent with the representation of scripture respecting this matter, which has been produced. But they are so implied in each other, and so far connected, that one is not without the other.

It is abundantly evident that the Evangelists and apostles viewed and treated the matter in this light. This appears not only from what has been already observed; but it will be farther evident by attending to the account which the evangelists, Mark and Luke, give of the gospel, which Jesus Christ directed his apostles to preach to all nations. In Mark, we have it in the following words-" And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned."* The good news to be proclaimed is summed up in these words, holding forth the condition on which eternal life is to be offered, and obtained, which is here called believing. Luke says that Christ directed, "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." These words contain the sum of what Christ ordered to be preached, and express the condition on which pardon and salvation were to be offered to all nations; and therefore are parallel with the pas † Luke xxiv. 47.

* Mark xvi. 16.

sage just cited from Mark, and do express the very same thing, though in different words. But what Mark calls believing, Luke calls repentance. Therefore, saving faith and repentance are not essentially different; but repentance implies what is essential to faith, and faith takes into the nature of it what is essential to true repentance, so that one may be put for the other consistent with propriety and truth.

The account we have of the apostles preaching this same gospel, in the execution of their Lord's instructions, serves to prove that the above cited words of the evangelists are intended to express one and the same thing, and point out the only condition on which they were to offer pardon and salvation, and that the apostles understood it thus. When the hearers of Peter's first

sermon were brought solicitly to ask, "What shall we do!" he said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins."* Here he expressly preached

repentance and remission of sins," exactly agreeable to the direction of Christ, as it is expressed by Luke. But when this same apostle is called to preach the gos pel to Cornelius, and tell him, "what he ought to do," we find him expressing himself in the following words. "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive the remission of sins." Here, instead of repent, St. Peter uses the word believe, which is the only difference be tween this, and the above cited direction to his hearers. And in this he comes nearer the words in which Mark expresses the direction of our Lord, which was to be regarded as their rule in this case. "He that BELIEVETH-shall be saved." This apostle cannot be reconciled to himself in any other way but that in which the evangelists may be reconciled to each other, viz. that by repentance he means the same thing which at another time he expresses by faith or believing. And we cannot account for his expressing himself thus, but by supposing that faith implies repentance, so that he who believes, does, in the very act of believing, repent.