4. We have wronged God by sin
and Savior, but not to save men in an absolute way, whether or not they repent. If ever Christ brings men to heaven, it will be through the gates of hell: "God has exalted him to be a Prince and a Savior to give repentance" (Act 5.31). A king pardons rebels if they repent and yield themselves to the mercy of their prince; but not if they persist in open defiance.
4. We have wronged God by sin There is a great deal of equity in requiring that we repent. By sin, we have wronged God. We have eclipsed his honor. We have infringed his law. And we should reasonably make reparation. By repentance we humble and judge ourselves for sin. We stamp our seal that God is righteous if he were to destroy us. Thus we give glory to God, and we do what lies in us to do in order to repair his honor.
5. If God saves men without repentance, without discriminating, then he must save all, …not only men, but devils, as Origen once held; and so consequently the decrees of election and reprobation must fall to the ground. Let all judge how diametrically opposed this is to sacred writ.
There are two sorts of persons who will find it harder to repent than others:
(1) Those who have sat a great while under the ministry of God's ordinances, but grow no better. The earth which drinks in the rain, and yet "bears thorns and briars, is near to being cursed" (Heb 6.8).
There is little hope of the metal which has lain long in the fire but is not melted and refined. When God has sent his ministers one after another, exhorting and persuading men to leave their sins, but they settle upon the dregs of formality, and they can sit and sleep under a sermon, it will be hard for these to ever be brought to repentance.
They may fear that Christ will say to them as he once said to the fig tree, "Let no fruit grow on you forevermore" (Mat 21.19).
(2) Those who have sinned frequently against the convictions of the word, the checks of conscience, and the motions of the Spirit.
Conscience has stood as the angel with a flaming sword in its hand.
It has said, "Do not do this great evil;" but sinners do not regard the voice of conscience. They march on resolvedly under the devil's colors. These will not find it easy to repent: "They are of those that