“If you will vouchsafe to purge out this venomous part of your principles, in which the wide, essential, fundamental, irreconcileable difference, as you very justly term it, mainly consists, then there will be found so far no disagreement between you and the clergy of the church of England.” ibid.
4. In order to be clearly and fully satisfied, what the doctrine of the church of England is, (as it stands opposite to the doctrine of the Antinomians, on the one hand, and to that of justification by works on the other) I will simply set down what occurs on this head, either in her Liturgy, Articles or Homilies.
“Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults: restore thou them that are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord.”
“He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.”
“Almighty God, who dost forgive the sins of them that are penitent, create and make in us new and contrite hearts; that we worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee perfect remission and forgiveness, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.” Collect for Ash-Wednesday.
“Almighty God—hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him.” Communion office.
“Our Lord Jesus Christ hath left power to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him.” Visitation of the sick.
“Give him unfeigned repentance and stedfast faith, that his sins may be blotted out.” ibid.
“He is a merciful receiver of all true, penitent sinners, and is ready to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance.” Commination office.
Infants indeed our church supposes to be justified in baptism, altho’ they cannot then either believe or repent. But she expresly requires both repentance and faith, in those who come to be baptized when they are of riper years.