The Life of Justification Opened, Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
What Interest Repentance hath in our Justification.
IN reference to the clearing of this Question, about the Interest of Repentance in Justification, it will not be necessary to speak much of Repentance it self, the premitting of a few things will be sufficient unto our purpose.
The Hebrew word, which is rendered repent, is of a general signification for it signifieth to return, whether from a place, or from the distemper of our minds, or from our former courses; & so denoteth a motion or change of the body from one place to another; or of the mind from any purpose, or of the whole way & walk, and in special, it sometime signifieth a change of the whole man to the better, both as to his Mind, Resolution, and Deportment, & thus denoteth a mans turning unto God: And accordingly we read in the New Testam. of the Prodigals coming or returning to himself, or to his right mind & wits; and we heare of Repentance towards God. In the N. Testam. there are two greek words, the one foreign importing such a change, as it attended with after care; the other foreign signifying such a change, as denoteth after-wit or after thought. Some do so difference these two, as that they say, the last signifieth so to sorrow for what is done, as to amend it, called by the latines Resipiscere & therefore properly is meaned of a good & saving Repentance, wherein the penitent returneth to his right wits, so as to reforme & amend what hath been amisse; and the other denoteth properly care, anxiety & solicitude after something done, called by the Latines poenitere, and this may be used in an evil sense, as denoting properly no change of minde or carriage to the better, but simply such a trouble & anxiety for what is done, as maketh them wish, it were not done, whether the thing done was good or evil. But in the New Test. we finde not this difference constantly obsérved; for foreign is taken both in a good sense, for a good Repentance, & saving Mat. 21: 32, 29. and for a common Repentance, that is not saving. Mal: 27: 3. where mention is made of Iudas repenting foreign indeed & foreign that cometh therefrom, import a good & saving Repentance, except, Heb. 12: 17.
What this word denoteth, when used of God, either affirmativly, or negativly, we need not here enquire. It is more for our purpose to consider, that Repentance may be taken in a threefold sense, 1. for a common work of legal sorrow through conviction of hazard, because of sin, whereby the man may rew, be grieved, & be sorrowful for what he hath done, and wish he had not done it, as Iudas repented of his wickedness. This may be; and yet not be attended with Pardon of sins: And, as to such, in whom the Lord purposeth to carry on the work of Condition, & Humiliation untill it come to real Conversion, and an Union with Christ, though it may be called a conditio sine qua non of Justification & Pardon, in such, in regaird that usually, if not alwayes, the Lord premitteth some thing of this, as to some sensible measure, or other, unto his more gracious workings; yet this Common Repentance hath no proper interest in justification, & cannot be called a Condition thereof, far less a Cause, seing in it self it hath no certain connexion with justification, & though it be an antecedent in the justified, yet it may be, and often is, where no justification followeth, being in many nothing but the sorrow of the world, that worketh death 2. Cor. 7: 10.
But 2. There is a Repentance, that is only peculiar unto such, as are already Justified & Pardoned, following upon & flowing from the sense and intimation of Pardon expressed by Self-abhoring, Self-lothing, Melting of heart, and Tenderness & the like. so Ezek. 16: 63. That thou mayest remember & be confounded, & never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee &c. So Ezek. 36-25, 26, 27, 28. comp. with vers. 31: See also Ier. 31: 19, 20. Neither can this be called, or accounted a Condition of Justification, & Remission, because it manifestly followeth not only Justification, & Remission, itself, but also the sense and intimation thereof; & therefore cannot go before it.
But. 3. The greatest difficulty is anent that work of Repentance, which is a saving work of the Spirit going a longs with Faith, ariseing from the sense of sin committed, and the apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, causing spiritual & kindly griefe, sorrow and indignation at themselves and their sinful wayes; with an hatred of sin & a fixed purpose to forsake it, and to turn to the Lord & this is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures. Now this Repentance may be considered two wayes, first as it is in these, in whom the Lord is working a work of Conversion, & whom He is translating out of dearkness in to the Kingdom of his dear Son, and Secondly as it is in such, as are already brought in to a justified state, after new sins committed. As to this last, we will have a fit occasion to enquire afterward, how or what way it is required in reference to Remission & Pardon of after-sins. The first falleth now under consideration, because we are speaking of Justification, which holdeth forth a change of state, as was formerly explained.
That we may therefore proceed the more distinctly in this Inquisition, we must fi…st take notice of the several senses of the word, or of the termes equipollent in Scripture; and see what is properly denoted there. by. And
1. Sometime it denoteth most griefe, sorrow, or that which is called contrition, or that part of Repentance, as Luk. 10: 33. where it is explained by sitting in sackcloth & ashes. Ier. 8: 6. - No man repented him of his wickedness, saying what have I done. Thus it may also be taken 2. Cor. 11: 21.-& that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, & have not Repented of the uncleaness & fornication & lasciviousness, which they have committed. Here, I say, it may be looked upon as mostly denoting this part of Repentance; though not as excluding the other parts.
2. Some time it denoteth mostly a change of former courses & wayes; whether of errour, as 2. Tim. 2: 25. If God per adventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; or of Conversation, called Repentance from dead works Heb. 6: 1. So 2. Chron. 7: 14. it is called a turning from their evil wayes & from sins Ezek. 18: 21. It was said to Simon Magus Act. 8: 22. repent of this thy wickedness. See Rev. 2: 21, 22.
3. Sometime it denoteth the whole work of Conversion & turning unto God, Act. 26: 20 - that they should Repent & turn to God, where the latter expression is but exegetick of the former. So also Act. 3: 19. Repent ye therefore & be converted: where both expressions denote one & the same thing, the last being explicative of the former Ezek. 18: 30. Repent & turn yourselves. And this is imported by many Synonimous expressions, in the Old Testament, as Seeking the Lord Deut. 4: 29. Turning to the Lord vers. 30. Returning to the Lord. Hos 5: 4. Seeking the face of God 2. Chron. 7: 14. & the like. See also Revel. 3: 19.
4. It is sometimes expresly distinguished from Godly sorrow, & mentionned as a Consequent, or fruite & effect of it 2. Cor. 7: 9 - yee sorrowed to Repentance. 10. for Godly sorrow worketh Repentance.
5. Sometime it is expresse distinguished from Faith, as Act. 20; 21 - Repentance toward God, & faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ. Heb. 6: 1. not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead works, & of faith towards God. So Ier. 31: 19. after I was turned (that is wrought up to faith) I repented.
6. Sometime it signifieth nothing else, upon the matter but a receiving of the Gospel & a beleeving in Christ, not only Mark. 1: 15. repens ye & beleeve the Gospel; where the later is explicative of the former, but also in many other places, where Iohn Bapist's ministrie is spoken of, the summe whereof is said to have been Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Mat. 3: 2. and his baptisme was called the Baptisme of Repentance Mark. 1: 4 or unto Repentance Mat. 3: 11. See also Luk. 3: 3. Act. 13: 24. Now, that this preaching of Repentance, & Baptisme of or unto Repentance, which is said to have been Iohn's ministrie, & work, was the preaching of Faith in the Messiah, Paul telleth us expreslie Act. 19 4. Then said Paul, Iohn verily baptized with the baptisme of Repentance, saying unto the people, that they should beleeve on him, which should come after him, that is, on Christ Iesus. So that, by this Commentary of Paul's, we understand both what was the scope of his Baptisme of Repentance, & also what was the meaning of his calling on his hearers to Repent, to wit, to embrace Christ, who came after him, & to beleeve in him. And by this Commentary, we may understand the purpart of Christ's preaching Mat. 4: 17. from that time Iesus began to preach, & to say, Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And this is called Mark. 1: 14. the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. As also of the preaching of the Apostles & Seventy disciples, when they were sent to say, the Kingdom of God was come, or is nigh unto you Luk. 10: 9. Mat. 10: 7. which is called the Gospel Luk. 9: 6. and Repentance Mark. 6: 12. they went out & preached that men should Repent. By this also we may understand the meaning of these & the like passages Mat. 9: 13 - I am not come to call the Righteous, but sinners to Repentance. So Mark. 2: 17. Luk. 5: 32. as likewise of that passage Luk. 15: 7, 10 - joy in heaven, over one person, that repenteth: for this is Christ's saving of the man, that was lost Mat. 18: 11. Luk. 15: 4. & 19. 10. See also Mat. 11: 20. Act. 2: 38. & 11: 18. & 26: 18. & 20. compared together.
7. Sometime it denoteth a recovery from some measure of defection, into which persons are backsliden, as Revel. 2: 5. Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen, & Repent, & do shy first works. So Ch. 3: 3. Remember therefore, how thou hast received, & heard, & hold fast, & Repent.
8. Sometime it is distinguished from works of Obedience, that follow upon it & flow from it; as Mat. 3: 8. bring forth fruits meet for Repentance, that is fruits suiting or answerable unto a Christian state, or a state of beleeving in Christ, which before we saw was denoted by Iohn's Baptisme. So Luk. 3: 8. & Act. 26: 10.
9. Sometime it includeth all, that is required, in order to Salvation, upon mans part, as 2 Pet. 3: 9 - not willing that any should pert…h, but that all should come to Repentance. So that Repentance includeth all, that is requisite to escape perishing. So Luk. 13: 3, 5 - except ye Repent ye shall all likewise perish. So also Act. 5: 31. to give Repentance to Israel, & Remission of sins; where, as Remission of sins may comprehend all the spiritual favours and privileges, which Christ bestoweth, so Repentance may include all the gra…es & blessings, which he bestoweth, in order to the actual participating of these privileges. Thus we may understand it Act. 17: 30. but now commandeth all men every where to Repent, that is, by the preached Gospel, wherever it cometh, commandeth all men to relinquish their courses of vanity & to embrace the Gospel of Salvation, & to walk accordingly. So Luk. 24: 47. And that Repentance & Remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations: which is the short summe of the Apostles Commission, to wit, to exhort to all Christian duties, imported by Repentance; & hold forth all Gospel privileges, as an encouragment thereunto, included in Remission of sins.
Having premitted these things; in order to the clearing of the question, we would know further.
1. That the Question is not, whether the doctrine of Papists about Repentance in order to Justification, be to be owned, in whole, or in part? for none now appeareth in the direct owning of their Assertions, who commonly are utterly ignorant of true Justification, as different from Sanctification, as may sufficiently appeare by the very naming of their positions for (1) They look upon Repentance as having force & efficacy to expell sin, as light hath to expell darkness, taking Remission to be a destroying of the very being of sin, & expelling of Corruption by contrary gracious Qualities, & inherent Holiness, of which they make Repentance a part. (2) They make Repentance concurre, as a material cause dssposing the soul for receiving a gracious Quality, for the expelling of sin. (3) They make Repentance to obtain pardon by way of merite, and (4) by way of Satisfaction. Not to mention (5) their Sacrament of Pennance. All which the Reader will finde not only rejected; but also shortly & solidly confused by worthy & judicious Mr. Durham in his Comment, on the Revel. in that digression on Repentance. pag. 251.
2. Nor is the Question, whether the Lord call for Repentance as a duty, at the hands of such as either are to be Justified, or are already Justified? for both these we willingly grant, as being divine truthes, richly confirmed in the Scriptures, what ever Antinomians say to the contrary.
3. Nor is the Question, whether Repentance be a Condition of the Covenant, or not? For if by a Condition of the Covenant, we understand every thing, that is a duty, required of the Covenanters, it is readily granted, as was said, that Repentance is a duty required of such as are really in Covenant with God; but if by a Condition of the Covenant be meaned a duty required in order to the closing of the Covenant, or entering into Covenant, upon the performing of which the Covenant is immediatly closed & entered into, this …s denied; and abundantly confuted by Mr. Durham, in the forecited Digression.
4. But the Question is, if Repentance hath the same Place, Office, Use & Consideration in Justification, that Faith hath; so that it may be every way as well, & as fully called the Coudition of Justification, as Faith is; & so that it is called for in order to Justification, upon the same account, and under the same formality, that Faith is called for. Socinians & Arminians (as we heard above) joine Repentance & Faith, in the same Order & Place, & ascribe the same Office Use & Power unto both, in order to Justification. And Mr. Baxter tels us Confess. pag. 37. n. 19. That Repentance is made by God, in the Gospel, a proper Condition of our first general pardon of sin, as well as Faith is. And he laith down a ground for this interest of Repentance (which, I suppose, will reach to the including of other works also) in the foregoing n. 18. saying, a quatenus ad omne vale… consequentia. If faiths formal interest in pardon be, as it is the Condition of the act of pardon, then whatsoever is such a Condition, must have the same Kind of formal interest, as faith. By the first general purdon of sin here, he meaneth Justification; for with him Remission of sins & Justification is all one thing. And yet afterward pag. 96. Concl. 29. he hath words, which would seem to give some peculiar interest unto Faith; & so contradict what is here said, for he saith, If any say, that seing faith hath a peculiar aptitude to this office, therefore it must have a peculiar Interest. I answere, so it hath. For I, it doth alone, without (merites, or) any positive Gospel works of obedience (as such at least) procure (as far as belongs to its office) our first full Justification. 2. The love of Christ received, Gratitude &c. are but as modification of Faith, which is called the receiving itself. Though some of them be distinct physical acts, yet all the rest, morally considered, are but as it were, the modification of faith: I mean of that act, which is the acceptance of Christ, & life freely given &c. Now, I suppose, he will grant (as he doth above, as we may see) that Repentance hath not that peculiar aptitude, to this office, that Faith hath; & consequently cannot have that peculiar Interest, as he confesseth: I suppose also, that he will put Repentance, in the same rank with Gospel-Works of Obedience; & consequently it must no more share of that special Interest, that belongeth to Faith, in this office, than they: I suppose likewise, that he will grant Repentance to be but, a Modification of Faith, as well, as Love & Gratitude: and then I would know, how Repentance can be said to be as proper a Condition of Justification, as Faith is? Sure, if it be as proper, it must have as peculiar an interest, for this peculiarity of Interest cannot respect its aptitude meerly, but its de…gned & appointed state, in that office; otherwayes the objection, which he moved, and answered, should have this sense, seing Faith hath a peculiar aptitude to this office; therefore it must have a peculiar aptitude to this office, which were non sense.
Now that Repentance hath not the same Interest in Justification, that Faith hath, we judge evident from these grounds.
1. The Scripture tels us, that we are justified by Faith, and that several times, & not only saith it, but proveth it, as we saw above: But it no where saith, that we are justified by Repentance. And reason would require, that such as say, that Repentance hath the same Interest in Justification, that faith hath, should tell us, where it is said, we are justified by Repentance: for when it is thus said of Faith, & no where thus said of Repentance: there must be a vast difference, as to their interest in Justification; unless they can give us some Scripture expressions concerning the Interest of Repentance, aequivalent to this, we are justified by Repentance. If it be said. That this is equipollent when it is said, Repent that your sins may be blotted out: & Repentance & Remission of sins are joyned together & the like. I answer, Leaving the particular examination of these & the like passages alledged, untill afterward, I shall only say this at present. (1) That justification & Remission of sins are not every way the same. Though Mr. Baxter hath several times said it; yet in his Catholick. Theolog. of God's Covenant &c. Sect. XIII. n. 203. he saith our first constitutive justification is in its own Nature a Right to impunity (& this, as he oft elsewhere tels us, is Remission) & to life or glory. Now what is beside a Right to Impunity, also a Right to life & glory, is more than Remission of sins: And therefore the consequence from Remission to Justification cannot stand. (2) In like manner, because it is said Luk. 6: 37 - forgive & it shall be forgiven you, it may be inferred, that for-giving of our Neighbour some fault, that he hath done us, is the Condition of our Constitutive Justification, & hath as great an interest in our Justification, as Faith it se…f, and by it we have as really Right to impunity, and Right to life & glory, as by Faith. It is true, Mr. Allen will not think this very absurd, who reasometh from this same passage, not far otherwise. In his discourse of the two Covenants. pag. 52. Yet I suppose, others will: & I doubt, if Mr. Baxter shall make this one & the same thing with Faith, as he laboureth in his Catholick Theol. to make Faith & Repentance one.
It will be said, when we are said to be Justified by Faith, it is all one, as if we were said to be Justified by Repentance: for Mr. Baxter cleareth, Of God's Govern. Sect. XII. how Faith & Repentance is all one thing. I Ans. (1) if the Spirit of the Lord had but once said, in his word, that we were justified by Repentance, we might then be allowed, to think of such explications, as might make either both one thing, or shew, how both hath the same interest in Justification: but when the Scripture never once saith, that we are justified by Repentance, for us to devise such explications, as to make the Scripture speak what it never speaketh, is not faire, nor is it to edification, because it hath no tendency to explaine the matter, as expressed in the Scriptures; and is so far from clearing up the truth, that it darkeneth all; for hereby we are taught to understand faith, wherever we hear of Repentance, & Repentance, where mention is made of Faith; so that we may ascribe all to Repentance, that is spoken of Faith Heb. 11. & say, that Repentance is the substance of things hoped for, & the evidence of things not seen &c. (2) Though it is true, the word Repentance (as we have seen) is sometime taken so largely, as to include faith; yet that will not allow us, to say, we are Justified by Repentance, as we are justified by Faith: It is best for us to follow Scripture language: The Scripture expresly denieth, that we are justified by works; & yet Repentance is sometimes, taken in such a large sense, as to include all acts of Obedience; This way then would allow us to sav, we are justified by all works of obedience, (even as to constitutive Justification) as we are by Faith: Yet Mr. Baxter in his Confess. p. 89, 90. putteth a difference betwixt Faith & Evangelick Obedience as to this Constitutive Justification, making the one, like consent to marriage relation, or taking one to be my Captaine; & the other like conjugal fidelity & obedience, or obeying the captain, & sighting under him, & tels us, that he no more comprizeth all Obedience in Faith, than conjugal obedience in the marriage consent. (3) That Repentance is not the same with Faith in the matter of justification; (in reference to which, we now speak of both) will appear from our following reasons: So that whatever paines be taken to make them one, on other accounts, will be to no purpose, as to our present business.
2. If Repentance have the same interest in Justification, that Faith hath, then works shall have the same interest with Faith; but this is diametically opposite to all the Apostles disput Rom. 3. & 4. & Gal. 2. & 3. The reason of the Consequence is, because Repentance includeth works, & is a special work & act of obedience itself Mr. Baxter tels Confess. p. 94. That Paul's scope is both to take down Moses's Law (especially its necessity & conceited sufficiency) & the Dignity of legal works (& consequently of any works) & that therefore by works Paul meaneth to exclude only merites, or works, which are conceited Meritorious, or which for the worth of the dead done, should procure Pardon & acceptance with God, without a Mediators blood; & so Paul himself described the works, that he speaketh against. Rom. 4: 4. That they are such as make the Reward to be not of Grace, but of debt. Ans. This is but the same we heard before from Iohn Godwine, and the same answer may suffice. (1) If the scope of Paul had been only to take down Moses's Law; why did he speak so much of the Gentiles, & shew how they were all under sin, & therefore must be justified by Faith, & not by the Law, or by works? This had no manifest tendency to that scope. (2) Why brought he in the Instance of Abraham, who was before the Law of Moses? Abraham's not being justified by works, could not prove the insufficiency of Moses's Law thereunto: (3) To think, that the Jewes did conceite, that they would obtaine Pardon & Acceptance with God, only by their laborious performance of Ceremonies & costly Sacrifices, excluding all Moral acts of obedience, is apparently groundless; contrary to Rom. 9: 30, 31, 32. & 10: 3, 4, 5. & would say, that Paul took not a right medium to destroy that conceite, for his neerest & surest course had been to have shown the nullity of that Law, now under the Gospel; hereby all occasion of further debate being perfectly removed. (4) Paul is so far Rom. 4: 4. from describing the works, that he speaketh of, to be such only as make the reward of debt, that he proveth that Justification cannot be by works, by this medium, because then the reward should be reckoned, not of grace, but of debt, and so telleth us, that all work make the reward of debt: This is a manifest perversion of the Apostles argument: for he saith not, now to him, that so worketh, as to conceite his works meritorious, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt; but now to him that worketh: far less can this be the meaning or construction of the words, now to him, that maketh the reward to be not of grace, but of debt: for what sense is here? And further the meaning of the following words must accordingly be this; but to him that so worketh, as not to make the reward of debt but of grace, his working is counted for Righteousness. While as the Apostle saith a plaine other thing. But to him, that worketh not, but beleeveth on him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Sure, working without this conceite of merite, is not beleeving on him, that justifieth the ungodly, neither are these works counted for Righteousness; for holy Abraham wrought without that conceite & yet he was not justified by works, vers. 2, 3. Nor did David meane, that mans blessedness did consist in the imputation of such works; nor did he describe that blessedness, when he said, blessed are they, whose iniquities are forgiven &c. Consider 1. Cor. 4: 4, Ephes. 2: 9. Phil. 3: 9. Tit. 3: 5.
3. Repentance hath no instrumentall acting on Christ & his Righteonsness, in order to our being justified. But Faith hath this, as was shown in the foregoing Chapter. Therefore Repentance hath not the same Interest in Justification, that Faith hath. It is requisite & necessary, in order to our Justification, that we be clothed with a Righteousness, even the Surety-Righteousness of Christ: and Faith only can lay hold on this & put it on, & not Repentance. Repentance doth not act so upon any thing without a man, to bring it home that it may become the mans Righteousness, it hath other work, & acteth upon another object, upon sin within the man. It is true Mr. Baxter in his Catholick Theol. of God's Government Sect. XI. will have faith rather to be called a receiving cause than an Instrumental, & a medium or dispositive cause of the effect, justification as as received, but not as given. And then Sect. XII. he calleth Repentance a disposit to materiae recipientis too, & a part of the condition of the Covonant. But we think it needless here to distinguish, with him, betwixt, receiving Iustification, & being Justified, we do not call Faith an Instrument of God's act Justifying, as was said above. If Faith & Repentance be dispositive causes of the effect & causa dispositiva be part of the causa materialis, as he also saith, I suppose, they are not meer causae sine quibus non; as he said elsewhere. But to our business, we have cleared before, how …aith acteth in the matter of Justification, how it receiveth an imputed Righteousness & laith hold on this Surety-Righteousness of Christ & applieth it, to the end, the accused impeached man may have wherewithall he may stand before the Tribunal of God, & be accepted of as Righteous, in his Cautioner, & through his Cautioners Righteousness imputed to him, & now received by Faith: & though Mr. Baxter do account Faith's accepting of Christ, & life offered on that condition, only its aptitude to the office, & that the formal reason of its office as to our Justification, is its being the performed condition of the Covenant, as he there speaketh; yet that will not invalidat our argument: for (1) Faiths aptitude (as he calleth it) or rather its work & acting in Justification, is not meerly an accepting of Christ, & life offered on that condition; but it is the accepting, laying hold on, leaning to, & applying the Surety-Righteousness of Christ, presupposing the accepting of Christ himself. (2) Though it may be said, that the neerest formal Reason of Faiths office, is the Lord's appointment; yet this being too too Philosophical here contributeth nothing to the clearing up of the matter, in order to practice, so neither was Philosophical accuracy the ground whereupon they went, who said, that Faiths interest in Justification, was as an Instrument, but rather their end was to cleare the matter in order to Practice; so as poor souls might not fall into mistakes; & this I judge to be the best Theological acuracie, howbeit he should account many such speaches nothing but unintelligible phrases, and such doctrine to containe such senselesness & consequents, as the opening up of would offend, as he there speaketh. (3) It is certaine, that Repentance doth not so act on Christ, and his Surety-Righteounsness, in order to Justification, as Faith doth, Repentance, as such is no acceptance of a free gift, far less of a gift of Righteousness, & of an Atonement there-through; Repentance acteth not thus on Christ: Yea the reason he giveth Confess. p. 39. why Repentance was made a condition of pardon, doth sufficiently shew, that it cannot have that interest, that Faith hath. His reason is this. Because without it (Repentance) God & the Redeemer cannot have their end in pardoning us; Nor can the Redeemer do all his work, for which we do accept him: for his work is, upon the pardoning of us, to bring us back in heart & life to God; from whom we were fallen & strayed. This was Christ's work. Therefore the condition, which Christ maketh, are, as if he should say, If you will be saved by me, & are willing that I shall bring you back to God, I will both bring you into his favour by Pardon, and into a capacity of personal pleasing & enjoying of him. Now, our Repentance is our consent to return to God, & the change of our mindes, by turning from former sin, that was our idol, & being willing by Christ to be restored to obedience. By this, I say, it is clear, that Repentance hath a more direct aspect upon, & reference to the consequences of Pardon & Justifiction itself; we grant its necessity unto all the ends mentioned, and its necessary presence in such as are Justified; & that its contrare, or positive impenitency, cannot consist with Faith, in such as are to be Justified: Yet that will not give ground to inferre, that it hath the same Interest, Influence & Consideration, in Justification, that Faith hath.
Mr. Baxter In his Confess. p. 39, 40. seemeth to grant this whole Argument, when he expresseth himself thus. This I say, that man may see, I do not level Faith with Repentance, much less (as they charge me) with actual external works of obedience, which in this first remission & justification, I take not to be so much, as existent. What he addeth concerning the Ratio forma…ts, why faith or Repentance have such an interest in our Pardon, to wit, because God hath made them the Conditions of the promise, cannot hinder our conclusion, untill first it be proved, that God hath made Repentance such a Condition, we are speaking here of the difference, that is betwixt the two, as to their Nature & Aptitude, which he confesseth to be very great, & also as to their place & use because of the great difference, that is betwixt them, as to Nature & Aptitude.
4. If the Interest of Faith be not, as it is a work, or inward grace. inherent in the soul, but as such a going out of the soul from it self, & all its own inherent good, and from all external privileges, or what may be called adherent personal good, unto an offered Mediator, that it may embrace him, & lay hold on, and lean to his fide jussorie-Righteousness; then Repentance cannot share in this Interest with it. But the former is true. Therefore &c. The Conncection may be cleared from what is already said: we are not speaking of that here which Mr. Baxter will have to be the neerest formal reason, nor of that only, which he will have to be its nature & aptitude: but of its Use & proper Actings in this office, in reference to the end, Justification; which are such, as cannot agree to Repentance, as is manifest. Himself tels us in his Confess. p. 89, 90. That he takes Repentance to be to our faith in Christ, as the breaking off from other Suitors & Lovers, & turning the mind to this one, is to Marriage. Whereby we see, that though Repentance be necessarily required, in one that is a beleever, and that faith can not be without Repentance; Yet Repentance hath no place in the office of Justification, it hath no plaine formal & immediat interest in the receiving of Justification; as that turning to the minde from other Suitors to that one hath no formal interest or place, in closeing the Marriage Covenant, though it be a very necessary prerequisite unto right closing & consenting the marriage Covenant. This giveth ground for another Argument.
5. As upon the account that a woman hath changed her minde from other Suitors, to one, it cannot be said or inferred, that therefore the Marriage Relation is made up with that one Suitor; which is done only by a formal full & explicite Consent: so upon the account that one is a penitent, it cannot be formally inferred, that that persons is in Covenant with Christ, and is Justified. Because as Mr. Baxter hath told us, Repentance is unto Faith, but as the womans changing her mind from other Suitors to one, is to the consenting unto the Marriage proposal. And if upon a Persons being a Penitent it cannot be formally inferred, that he is in Covenant with God & a Justified person, then Repentance hath not that interest in Justification, that Faith hath, for upon a mans beleeving, it can formally & immediatly be inferred, that he is in Covenant, and is Justified. I say formally; because consequentially it will also follow, that a Penitent man (meaning one that is truely penitent) is justified, upon this account, that where ever there is true Repentance, there is also true Faith: But as the change of the womans mind is not formally the making up of a marriage Covenant; So neither is Repentance that, which formally constitutes a man a Covenanter with Christ, and a Justified person, only Faith doth this; as the womans consent maketh up the marriage-Relation.
6. I… Repentance hath the same interest in Justification with Faith; then as our Adversaries say, that Faith is imputed to us, as our Gospel Righteousness; so must they say, that our Repentance is imputed to us for Righteousness. But, beside the reasons, whereby we proved above, that Faith was not imputed to us, as our Gospel Righteousness, which will also serve here, mutatis mutandis, we may adde this, that there is nothing in Scripture giving the least countenance hereunto, even as to words or expressions.
7. If Repentance have such an interest in Justification, as Faith hath, then this must either be true of Repentance as begun, or as perfected (I meane as to p…rts) But of neither it can be true; not of begun Repentance, for questionless there are some beginnings of Repentance before Faith; (taking Repentance largly, as it is here taken,) as the womans change of her minde from other Suitors, is before her closeing a Marriage Covenant with this man & then it would follow, that a man were Justified before Faith; which I suppose will not be said. Not of compleeted Repentance, for that followeth faith; for thus it followeth godly sorrow, 2. Cor. 7: 10. and is expressed by that Carefulness, Clearing of ourselves, Indignation, Fear, Vehement desire, Zeal, & Revenge, mentioned 2. Cor. 7: 11. all which must follow Faith; And repenting Ephraim Ier. 31: 19. said, after I was turned, I repented; & after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded &c. This being instructed, & being turned includeth Faith; & the rest, that followed upon it, are expressions of Repentance: and hence it would follow, if only compleeted Repentance be that Repentance, that hath the Interest in justification that Faith hath, a man cannot be said to be justified upon his beleeving, no not untill Repentance be brought to this Perfection; And then Faith cannot be the consenting act, whereupon the bargane is closed.
8. Repentance can bring nothing in, that can stay, or prove a support unto an awakened soul, pursued with the sense of wrath for the breach of the Law; nor can it present any thing unto God, as a ground, whereupon to be delivered from guilt & wrath, as Faith can do & doth, by laying hold on Christ & his Righteousness, an only sufficient ground, whereupon the poor soul can have hope, and with confidence can expect Absolution: Therefore it cannot have the same interest, in justification. The antecedent is clear, & undeniable, & the Consequence is also manifest; because this interest in the matter of justification must be estimate according to the ground of Hope, that is yeelded thereby unto the poor vexed & tossed soul, & the ground of Confidence that is had thereby of Acceptance of God.
9. To say, that Repentance hath the same interest in justification, that Faith hath, will prove, I judge, dangerous doctrine to many poor wakened sinners; & prove a meane to keep them off the Rock of ages, and at least, a meane to hinder or retard their motion Christ-ward, in order to Peace & Reconciliation with God: for experience teacheth such, as deale with wakened Consciences, that the most of their work oft times is to keep them from resting on someting within themselves, in order to Peace, and particularly from relying & resting upon some sort of Griefe, Sorrow, or Repentance, which they conceive to be in themselves & to b…ing them unto a cleanly resting upon Christ & his Righteousness, forsaking all other things: And when now they hear, that Repentance hath the same interest in justification that Faith hath, how will they be fortified in their Resolutions, so that all the labour & paines of Ministers, or other Christians may prove much fruitless, unless the Lord come in a wonderful manner, & many others may perish in their presumptuous thoughts, founded on their inward Sorrow & Repentance, as they supposed, because they would never go out of themselves to leane to Christ & his Righteousness. It is true, These of the contrary minde, presse not Repentance alone, but Faith & Repentance together. Yet by their way, I finde not the right Gospel-exercise of Faith-pressed, that is, faith bringing in an imputed Righteousness, or laying hold on Christ for Righteousness, & refuging the Soul in Him, & resting upon that, as the only & absolutly surest ground of Confident appearing before God, and of expecting Pardon & Peace; but only such or such an act of faith pressed, as being now under the New Covenant in the same place, that Perfect Obedience had in the Old, whereby, as the Old Covenant is but renewed, so the wakened or alarmed sinner is but taught to look after & lean to something within himself, as his immediat Righteousness, upon which he must be justified.
10. If the Surety-Righteousness of Christ imputed by God, & received by Faith, be only that Righteousness, upon the account of which, the poor sinner is to be accepted of God as Righteous, & to be absolved from the Curse of the Law; As we have above proved it to be; then Repentance cannot have the same interest in justification, that Faith hath; because it neither doth, nor can so lay hold upon this Cautionary-Righteousness, as Faith doth. Or we might frame the argument thus. If Repentance have the same interest in justification, that Faith hath, Christ's Cautionary-Righteousness shall not be the only Righteousness, with which, the soul that is to be justified, must be clothed; because Repentance cannot put on Christ & his Righteousness, as faith doth. But this last cannot be said, for reasons given already.
11. If Repentance hath the same interest in justification, that faith hath, then even by Gospel justification, there should be ground left to man, to boast, & to glory before men; & the reward should not be of grace, but of debt; contrary to Rom. 3. &. 4. The Consequence is clear, because Repentance acteth not on a Righteousness without us; and can be considered no other way, then as an act of Obedience in man, and so as a work: and Faith by this way goeth under the same Consideration; & is not considered, as bringing-in the Surety-Righteousness of Christ, and laying hold on it alone; (as it is by our way) for both are looked upon as dispositive causes, and as parts therefore of the material cause, and as proper potestative conditions, just as perfect obedience was under the Old Covenant. And whatever difference be acknowledged to be betwixt them, as to their Essence & Aptitude, whereby Faith is said to be an acceptance of the gift formally, Repentance not so, in its averting act (as Mr. Baxter is speaking Cath. Theol. ubi supra Sect. XII. n. 201.) whatever it may be as to other acts: yet they are both made formal Potestative conditions, as is said, & so solely considered, as works done by us: and all such, as was evidenced above, make the reward of debt, & give ground of boasting; because, being our formal works, they are made the immediat & formal, legal ground of our Justification, being made our immediat, formal & perfect Gospel-Righteousness; as was seen above.
12. Adde to these. That if Repentance have the same Interest in Justification, that Faith hath, God cannot be beleeved on, as the justifier of the ungodly, contrare to Rom. 4: 5. for Faith & Repentance are hereby made the mans personal Righteousness, and Mr. Baxter tels us Confess. p. 46. n. 38. that there is no such thing in rerum natura, as a true Righteousness, which doth not formaliter make the person so far Righteous. Now a Righteous man can not be an ungodly man; that were a contradiction. It is not here enough to say, that the man is ungodly before he be Justified; for in the act of justifying, or while he is a justifying, he is considered, not as ungodly, but as Righteous, yea antecedenter to his being Justified, he is considered as a Righteous man, & is therefore justified because Righteous in himself, having performed the conditions, whereby he becometh personally Righteous. And therefore while he is justified, God doth not justifie an ungodly man. But it will be said, that this will as well follow upon our way. I Ans. Not at all, because though we place Faith in priority of Nature, before Justification, yet we make not faith a personal Righteousness; so that while the beleever is justified, a man guilty in himself & void of all Righteousness in himself, is justified; so that God justifieth an ungodly man. But it will be said. By our way, the beleever is considered as clothed with Christ's Righteousness; & upon that account, cannot be called nor accounted an ungodly man. I Ans. He is still, notwitstanding an ungodly man in himself, having nothing, wherewith to satisfie justice, or to procure Peace to himself; but what he hath imputed to him, from a Cautioner: And thus God is justifier of the ungodly, in himself; that by his faith proclaimeth himself such & one that is not in case to pay one farthing of his own debt.
Other Arguments may be brought from our foregoing debate against the Imputation of Faith, in a proper sense, and Faiths justifying as a work, I shall now proceed to examine what is alledged for the Interest of Repentance.
Obj. 1. Mr. Baxter. In his Confession pag. 37. n. 19. citeth some passages of Scripture, whereby he thinks to prove, that Repentance is made by God, in the Gospel, a proper Condition of our first general Pardon of sin, as well as Faith is. The first whereof is Luk 13: 35. But this I judge is miscited, there being nothing there, that looketh here away possibly it should be Luk. 13. v. 3, 5. & of this place, we will have occasion to speak afterward. The next he citeth is Act. 3: 19. Repent ye therefore, & be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Ans. But (1) Repent here can not be meaned of the acting of that Repentance, whereof we are here speaking, to wit, of that particular & special grace, which is distinct from Faith, & that because of the exegetical terme added, & be converted. So that Repent here can denote nothing else, but a turning from all their sinful opinions & wayes, and an embraceing the Gospel way of Salvation, that thereby they may be saved for ever. And (2) Neither is the Apostle speaking here of constitutive justification, or of our first general Pardon; but of a blotting out of sins a long time hereafter, to wit, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, at his second coming, as the following verses shew. So that (3) As by this blotting out of sins, all the favours & great rewards of free grace, which the Righteous judge will give in that day, are signified, or comprehended under it, which he mentioned especially, that it might suite the charge of the grievous guilt of killing the Prince of life, which he was laying home upon them; so under the other two termes, of Repenting & being Converted the whole of the duties, required in the Gospel, are to be understood. If it be said. That Repent & be Converted is as much as Repent & beleeve, & so the Particular grace of Repentance is here understood. I Ans. (1) Then it will follow, that neither are conditions of Pardon here: but both are requi…ed in order to Pardon, at the great day, when Christ shall come agai…e; for the blotting out of sins, here mentioned, is said to be at that time, as the following words clear. (2) This will say only (though it were the true meaning thereof, as it is not) that Repentance is required of those, that would expect of Christ Pardon at his second coming, as well as faith; which we deny not. (3) This Repentance should not be compleet Gospel Repentance, because it is anteriour to Conversion, or to Faith, while as the best part of true Repentance followeth, as we cleared above.
Obj. 2. He citeth next Act. 2: 38- Repent & be baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins. Ans. (1) This would plead for Repentance alone, without Faith. (2) It would plead for as great an interest for Baptisme, as for Repentance: Neither of which can be owned, as true. Therefore the true meaning of the place is, Turn from your former way of seeking slavation, by your own corrupt Imaginations & Superstitions, which led you, out of blinde zeal, to crucifie the Lord Christ; & embrace the Gospel of Salvation, now preached to you through that Lord, whom ye crucified, that ye may receive Remission of sins, through Faith in him; & be baptized, that you may have the outward signe of your professing of having Remission of sins through him, & a seal of Remission, granted to you, through him. And this may be cleared from the promise subjoined, & ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost, which is no where promised unto Repentance; but unto the faith of the Gospel, and the receiving of Christ therein, & was accordingl… bestowed Act. 8: 12. with 15, 17. & 9: 17. & 13: 52. & 15: 7, 8. & 19, 1: 2, 6. And what Peter exhorted then unto, they did vers. 41. And what was it, that they did? They gladly received his word, that is; willingly and cheerfully they embraced the Gospel, and so were added to the Church.
Obj. 3. He citeth Act. 26: 20. that they should repent & return to God, and do works, meet for repentance. Ans. But here is no mention made of Justification, or of Remission of sins; And who denieth, but people are to Repent, & return to God, & do works meet for Repentance? This is not the thing, that is here in question. If he mean vers. 18. where it is said. To open their eyes, & to turne them from darkness to light, & from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgivness of sins, & inheritance among them, that are sanctified by Faith, that is in me. I Ans. There is no word of Repentance here, but express mention made of Faith. It is true, turning from darkness to light &e. will include Repentance: Yet it is by Faith, that both Forgivness of sins, & the Inheritance, & Sanctification is had; for by Faith that is in me, may referre to all these three: And though this should be denied; Yet all that could be hence inferred, would amount but to this, That Repentance is necessarily called for in these, who receive forgivness, and the Inheritance, or would receive them. But all this is nothing to our present question.
Obj. 4. He citeth in the Margine Luk. 24: 47. And that Repentance & Remission of sins should be preached in his name. And Luk. 15: 7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner, that repenteth. Ans. This last place maketh no mention of Pardon, or of Justification, & only saith, that Repentance will Include Faith, & doth import the whole Conversion of a sinner unto God, whereof Faith in Christ is the first & chiefe step. As to the other place, we told before, that by Repentance here is understood all that duty, which is called for in the Gospel, this being a short summe of the whole preaching of the Gospel, & that therefore by Remission of sins all the blessings & favours, that sinners need & are promised in the Gosspel, must be understood. So that this maketh nothing against us: Yea if these two expressions were strickly to be taken, it would give ground to inferre, that Repentance alone were the Condition of Remission. But what saith all this to the purpose now in hand? do any of these expressions give the least coloure to inferre, that Repentance strickly taken hath the same use & Interest in Justification, that Faith hath?
Obj. 5. Others possibly may urge Act. 8: 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, & pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Ans. (1) If this place prove any thing that way, it will say as much for the Interest of Prayer in Justification, equal to the Interest of Faith; as for the Interest of Repentance. (2) Yea & plead for these only with exclusion of Faith, or at least for the Sufficiency of Repentance & prayer without Faith, which is not here expresly mentioned. (3) But Repent here is taken in a comprehensive sense, as including Faith, its ground & Cause, & whereof it is the expressive evidence, & sensible effect; So that the presence of Repentance in such, as would be Pardoned, may hence be well inferred: which is granted necessary, upon several accounts, but the present question is, whether it hath the same Place, Office & Influence in Justification & Pardon, that Faith hath?
Obj. 6. It may be, some will f…rther object Luk. 13: 3, 5- except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: And this likely was the passage, which Mr. Baxter cited in the first place, the printer putting vers. 35. for 3. 5. through a mistake. But I Ans. This place only proveth, what is not denied, to wit. That Repentance is necessarily required of such, as would be saved: And if hence it be inferred, that therefore not only its presence, but its interest is the same with Faiths, in Justification; the Interest of good works & of all commanded duties, may be hence inferred to be the same with Faiths, in justification, because these are as necessary, in order to Salvation, as is Repentance.
Obj. 7. Prov. 28: 13. He that covereth his sin, shall not prosper; but who so confesseth & forsaketh them, shall finde mercy. Ans. (1) If forsaking of sin be here taken strickly for Repentance, & if this place be urged pertinently to the point now in hand, Confession of sin will be made to have the same influence, & will be made more necessary, than Faith it self, which is not here expresly named. (2) Finding mercy is not strickly to be understood of Justification, or of meer Pardon, but is to be taken more largly for Felicity here & hereafter, as being opposed to a not prospering: And so hence can only be inferred the necessity of the presence of confessing & forsaking of sin, in such as would finde grace & mercy in the eyes of the Lord, & would prosper in all their wayes.
Obj. 8. Christ is sent, to preach good tidings to the meek, the broken hearted, the mourners, & to such as are under the Spirit of heaviness Esai. 61: 1, 2, 3. Ans. This place indeed proveth, that Christ was annointed to preach good tidings unto the meek, to binde up the broken hearted, to comfort all that mourne, to appoint & give unto them beauty for ashes, the oile of joy for mourning & the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; but here, as the Repentance imported is something more than ordinary, as the expressions intimate, so the good, that Christ is here said to be sent to do unto them, is something more than ordinary, to wit, Comfort & Joy in an high measure, which is more than meer Pardon, or Justification; some pardoned & justified may stand in need hereof, being indeed mourners in ashes, & under a spirit of heaviness, notwithstanding of their being in a justified state. So that this place cometh not home to the point now in question.
Obj. 9. Is not this to favoure the Antinomians, who say, that Repentance is needless, and is a meer legal duty, neither to be urged, nor practised under the Gospel. Ans. Though we say, that Repentance hath not the same Place, Office & Interest in & about Justification & Remission of sins, that Faith hath; Yet we give no countenance unto the Antinomian errour, because we affirme Repentance to be necessary, in all such as are Justified, and the real beginnings of Gospel Repentance to be also necessary, unto such as are to be justified, I say the beginnings, because I conceive, the principal parts or workings of saving & Gospel-Repentance follow faith, and upon Faith in Christ is the union betwixt Christ & the Beleever made, and the man brought into a justified state. Seing then we presse & urge the exercise of Repentance as a constant duty, & require it in all such, as would enjoy Peace & Comfort here, & be saved here after, we yeeld nothing unto the Antinomians. And against them we urge the same Scriptures, that have now been alledged, & others also, as irrefragable proofs of the necessity of this grace, though to other ends, than to be justified thereby, in such manner, as we are said to be Justified by Faith.
Obj. 10. Do not our Divines ordinarily say & prove, that Faith & Repentance are Conditions of the Covenant of Grace. I Ans. True, but their meaning is not, that Repentance is the same way a Condition of Justification, that faith is; but that terme, Conditions of the Covenant they take largely, to wit, to signifie & import the duties required of such, as are within the Covenant of Grace; & not strickly, for Conditions of entering into Covenant; These two are carefully to be distinguished: many things may be called the Conditions of marriage, that is, duties of married persons to other, that can not be called Conditions of making up the marriage Relation, as is manifest; & so is it here. Many duties are required of Beleevers, that neither are, nor can be called Conditions of Justification, or of entering into Covenant with God.
Obj. 11. But do not many both in sermons & in writtings, even when speaking of Pardon & of justification, joyn Repentance with faith? Ans. It may be so; but their meaning is not, I conceive, to give an equal share of Interest, Power & Office in & about justification, unto Repentance, with that, which they acknowledge Faith to have, but either their purpose is, hereby to show the inseperable connexion, that is betwixt faith & Repentance, or to show, that they speak of that faith, which is attended with this necessary Grace of Repentance, & doth effectually work the same; or both rather: So that their true meaning is, to give the due privilege & interest unto that saith, which can prove it self to be real & true justifying faith, by effectuating Repentance, never to be repented of; and thus they withall satisfie an Objection, or question, that might be made, if they had mentioned faith alone; for it might be enquired, How shall we know, whether our faith be of the right kind, or not? Now their joining of Repentance with faith, doth shortly answere this question; Repentance being a concomitant, and a fruit of true faith, & more sensiblie felt, & obvious to their perception, might be to them a vive & perceptible expression of true & justifying faith.
Obj. 12. But seing faith by some is called, that which doth morally qualifie the subject to be a fit patient so be justified: why may not Repentance have an equal share in this moral Qualification, with Faith? I Ans. If we should make faith to have no other Interest in justification, than Repentance hath, or may be yeelded to have, we may easily grant, that Repentance hath the same & equall Interest with faith: but it is denied, that faith hath no other Interest, but as that, which doth morally qualifie &c. drieness in wood may qualifie it for the fire, & yet the wood may be long so, before it become the subject of fire; & so may it be with moral qualifications: many a man may be morally qualified to be a fit match for such a woman; or a woman for such a man; & yet the marriage Relation never be made up betwixt them: But this cannot be said of faith, whereby the marriage is made, & the person is actually justified, & not a bare fit patient to be justified.