Wesley Corpus

Paul affirms, Jesus Christ is the Mediator of a better covenant, established upon better promises; yea, and that better covenant he hath obtained for us, by his own blood. And if any desire to receive the privileges which are freely given according to the tenor of this covenant, Jesus Christ himself has marked out the way,-- “Repent, and believe the gospel.” These, therefore, are the terms of the covenant, unless the author of it was mistaken. These are the conditions of it; unless a man can enter into the kingdom, without either repenting or believing. For the word condition means neither more nor less than something sine quá non; without which something else is not done. Now, this is the exact truth with regard to repenting and believing; without which God does not work in us “righteous ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” It is true, repentance and faith are privileges and free gifts. But this does not hinder their being conditions too. And neither Mr. Calvin himself, nor any of our Reformers, made any scruple of calling them so. “But the gospel is a revelation of grace and mercy, not a proposal of a covenant of terms and conditions.” (Page 5.) t is both. It is a revelation of grace and mercy, to all that “repent and believe.” And this the author himself owns in the following page: “The free grace of God applies to sinners the benefits of Christ’s atonement and righteousness, by working in them repentance and faith.” (Page 6.) Then they are not applied without repentance and faith; that is, in plain terms, thèse are the conditions of that application. I read in the next page: “In the gospel we have the free promises of eternal life, but not annexed to faith and repentance, as works of man,” (true; they are the gift of God,) “or the terms or conditions of the covenant.” Yes, certainly; they are no less terms or conditions, although God works them in us. “But what is promised us as a free gift, cannot be received upon the performance of any terms or conditions.” Indeed it can. Our Lord said to the man born blind, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.” Here was a plain condition to be performed; something without which he would not have received his sight.