Chapter VIII.—Continuation Respecting Repentance.

The ministers of the grace of God have, by the Holy Spirit, spoken of repentance; and the Lord of all things has himself declared with an oath regarding it, “As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the sinner, but rather his repentance;”^40434043    Ezek. xxxiii. 11. adding, moreover, this gracious declaration, “Repent, O house of Israel, of your iniquity.”^40444044    Ezek. xviii. 30.  Say to the children of my people, Though your sins reach from earth to heaven, and though they be redder^40454045    Comp. Isa. i. 18. than scarlet, and blacker than sack-cloth, yet if ye turn to me with your whole heart, and say, Father! I will listen to you, as to a holy^40464046    These words are not found in Scripture, though they are quoted again by Clem. Alex. (Pædag. i. 10) as from Ezekiel. people.  And in another place He speaks thus:  “Wash you and become clean; put away the wickedness of your souls from before mine eyes; cease from your evil ways, and learn to do well; seek out judgment, deliver the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and see that justice is done to the widow; and come, and let us reason together.  He declares, Though your sins be like crimson, I will make them white as snow; though they be like scarlet, I will whiten them like wool.  And if ye be willing and obey me, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse, and will not hearken unto me, the sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things.”^40474047    Isa. i. 16–20.  Desiring, therefore, that all His beloved should be partakers of repentance, He has, by His almighty will, established [these declarations].