Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 3 · Chapter 3
Cap. 3. That we are regenerate by faith, wherein is entreated of repentance.
ALthough the title ſéeme to promiſe ſome declaration of faith, yet hee entreateth onelyonly of repentaunce, which alwaies accōpanieth true faith. And the chapter in my iudgement may aptly be deuided into fiue partes: for firſt hée ſheweth certaine opinions of others about repentance, from the firſt to the fourth. Secondly hée ſheweth what is to be determined thereof in his owne iudgement, from the fift to the nienth. Thirdly he aſſigneth the cauſe why he woulde the ſame ſhoulde bée extended to the laſt end of life, which hée affirmeth in the declaration of his definition, frō the tenth to the fourtéenth: Fourthly, hee ſheweth either to what purpoſe, or to what end the fruite of repentance tendeth, from the 15. to the 20. laſt of all, how it may profite vsus, from the 21. to the 25.
As touching the firſt, there are thrée thinges which hée reckoneth in this place out of other mens iudgementes, whether ſhoulde be firſt, faith or repentance, on how many parts it ſtandeth, and howe manyfolde it is. No man hath faith, which applieth not his whole indeuour, to the meditation of repentance: yet they are all deceiued, that thinke that repentance doeth rather go before faith, than flowe or ſpring foorth of it.
2 Howe vnforcible their reaſon is,Matth. 3.2 Acts. 20.21 Eſa. 40.3 Pſalm. 130.4 Oze. 6.2 which think ſo, that faith is not yet before repentance in time: and from whence they take occaſion to erre. The Anabaptiſts and Ieſuites doe wickedly dote, which preſcribe certaine daies of repentance, before they receiue their companions into the communion of grace. The cauſe of repentance, is fet from the grace and promiſe of ſaluation, if it had béene ſaid, Becauſe the kingdome of GOD is at hande, therefore repent.
3 They which hauehave taught, that repentance ſtandeth on two partes: Mortification, and Viuification, the laſt part they hauehave wrongfully interpreted, while they call it comfort, which rather ſignifieth a deſire to liue well, which groweth of regeneration, as if it were ſaide, that man dieth to himſelfe, to begin to liue to God.
4 Some others hauehave made two ſorts of repentance, the one of the lawe, the other of the Goſpell, where alſo are ſet examples of both. The repentance of the law,Gen. 4.12 2. King. 15.13 Matth. 27.4 by which the ſinner wounded with the ſearing iron of ſinne, & worne away with the feare of the wrath of God, ſticketh faſt in that trouble, and cannot winde himſelfe out of it, for albeit he acknowledgeth the gréeuouſnes of his ſinne,, and is afraid of the wrath of GOD, yet in thinking vponupon God onelyonly as a reuenger, and iudge, he fainteth at the féeling, ſo that their repentance is nothing elſe but an enterie of Hell. But the repentance of the Goſpell,2. King. 20.4 Eſa 7.38.1 2. Sam. 12.13 Acts. 2.36 Matth. 26.75 is when the ſinners being galled with the ſpurre of ſinne, is recomforted and refreſhed with confidence of Gods mercy, and is returned to the Lorde.
5 Comming to expounde his owne meaning, firſt he proueth, that repentance and faith, albeit they cannot bée ſeparated,Acts. 20.21 yet muſt they ſo be diſtinguiſhed, that by no meanes faith may bée ſet vnderunder repentance: Moreouer, after he hath expounded the Etymologie of the worde, hée ioyneth a true definition of the thing alſo, that it is a true turning of our life to GOD procéeding from a pure and earneſt feare of GOD:Matth. 3.2 1. Sam. 7 which conſiſteth in the mortifiyng of the fleſhe, and of the olde man, and in the quickening of the ſpirite.
6 His definition ſtandeth on thrée partes, the firſt, becauſe hée will hauehave it to bée a conuerſion or turning:Eze. 18.31 Iere. 4.3 it conſiſteth not onelyonly in outwarde workes, but in tranſfourming of his ſoule.
7 The ſecond is, that it ought to procéede of an earneſt feare of God: and this feare partly is ſtirred vp by the remembrance of the iudgement of God:Acts. 17.30 Exo 2.9 2. Cor. 7.10 partly, by the puniſhments already extended, otherwiſe ſuch is the ſtubbornneſſe of our heartes, that vnleſſe it bée pricked vp with threatning, as with mallets, the dulneſſe of our fleſh would not be corrected.
8 The third ſtandeth of two partes,Pſalm. 34.14 Rom. 8.4 Mortification and Quickening, both which are ſeuerally expounded.
9 Both theſe thinges do happen vntounto vsus by ye partaking of Chriſt, therfore at one worde,Rom. 6.6 2. Cor. 3.18 Ephe. 4.24 Col. 3.10 repentance is nothing elſe then a renuing of Gods image in vsus, neither is the ſame perfourmed in ſome ſhort time, but extended to the laſt end of life.
10 But in that he would hauehave it extended to the laſt ende of eueryevery mans life, it is for this cauſe, that there remaineth in the regenerate a féeding of euill, and matter of ſtrife. This ſame feeding Auguſtine oftentimes calleth not ſinne, but infirmitie: which notwithſtanding is ſinne, and ſometime is called by that name of Auguſtine.
11 Neither is this any let to the contrary,Ephe. 5.26 that God is ſaide to purge his Churche from all ſinne, for the ſame ought rather to bée referred, to the giltineſſe of ſinne, than vntounto the matter of ſinne: although ſinne alwayes dwell in vsus, yet it beareth no dominion: but that there remaine ſome remnantes as yet in the regenerate,Rom. 7.6 & doth greatly trouble them, it is manifeſted out of Paule.
12 But ſo thoſe deſires are vniuerſally condemned, wherewith man naturally is moued that thoſe thinges are excepted, which God hath ſo engrauen in the minde of man, at the firſt creation, that they cannot be rooted out without deſtroying the very nature of man, and none but only vnnaturall and vnbrideled motions, that fight againſt the ordinance of God, are ſtrokē with this curſe. And albeit we are all infected by reaſon of the corruptneſſe of nature, yet are they not condemned in reſpect they are naturall, but in reſpect they are inordinate. Auguſtine is of that iudgement.
13 It is ſhewed by many teſtimonies taken out of his workes,Iam. 1.15 that hée thought ſo: that which they obiect out of Iames on the contrary is weake. Auguſtine ſaith, That the lawe of ſinne is both releaſed by the ſpirituall regeneration, and abideth in the mortall fleſh: releaſed héerein, becauſe the guiltineſſe is taken away in the Sacrament, whereby the faithfull are regenerate,Rom. 6.10 & it abideth becauſe it worketh the deſires againſt which the faithfull doe fight.
14 Againſt the Anabaptiſtes, which will not hauehave the regenerate careful to bridle the luſt of the fleſh, as though after they hauehave receiued the ſpirit of god, they coulde neuer ſinne againe,2. Cor. 12.15 Rom. 7.6 or as though they procéeded further then the Apoſtle.
15 Going about to ſpeake of fruites which ought to followe repentance, hée taketh beginning of thoſe places, which the Apoſtle in another place deſcribeth: yet in the meane time kéeping in doubt whether they ought to bée counted cauſes or effectes, or partes, or affections,Heb. 12.3 yet all are very neceſſary to bée knowne. As concerning ſorrowfulnes, hée counſelleth to kéepe meaſure, leaſt ſuch ſorrow and loathing of our ſelues doe ſwallow vsus vp: and this he counſelleth by the holy aduiſe of Bernard, Ser. 11. in Canti.which is this, Sorrow for ſinnes is neceſſary, if it be not continuall, I counſel you ſometime to returne your fault frō gréeuous & painfull remembrance of your owne wayes, and to climbe vp to the plaine grounde, of chéerefull remembrance of the benifits of God, Let vsus mingle hony with wormewood, that the holſome bitterneſſe may bring vsus health, when it ſhalbe drunke tempered with ſwéetneſſe, and if you think of your ſelues in humilitie, thinke alſo of the Lorde in goodneſſe.
16 Héerby it appeareth, what be the true fruites of repentance, for as touching outward teſtimonies, although they alwayes follow repentance (as to be in filthineſſe, mourning & wéeping) yet muſt wee beware that wee lay not the force of repentance vponupon them,Ioel. 2.13 Iacob. 4.8 2. Cor. 7.1… neither ſet it out with olde and vnmeaſurable titles, or more rigorous in executing them, than eccleſiaſtical mildenes may beare.
17 Wéeping, faſting, & aſhes ſpoken of by Ioel, are not ye principall parts of repentance, but turning to god, yet ſom of theſe were vſed at ye time,Ioell. 2.12 Matth. 9.15 and nowe may be, & the ſame not to be cōtemned.
18 The name of repentance is improperly applied to this outwarde profeſſion, as that which ought rather to be called a confeſſion of the fault, which deſiring diſcharge of the puniſhment of guiltines, yet this external profeſſiō, is a godly exerciſe as wel priuate as publike:Matth. 1.21 Luke. 13 Pſalm. 51.7 2. Cor. 12.21 the publike is not alwaies neceſſary, but to confeſſe priuatly to god, is alwayes neceſſary for all men, not only faultes newly committed, but alſo faultes paſſed. But this ordinary repentance, differeth from that which is ſpecially required of them which more greuouſly offend.
19 The end of repentance is, that hauing ouercome our corrupt and wicked affections,Matth. 11.10. Marke. 1.4 Luke. 3.3 Rom. 1.30 wee be reſtored to true righteouſneſſe by the ſanctifiyng of the holy Ghoſt, as is ſhewed by the forme of the preaching of Iohn, Chriſt, & the Apoſtles.
Eſay. 61 1 Matth. 11.5 Luke 4.18 Acts. 2.3820 Becauſe God howeſoeuer hée offereth remiſſion of ſinnes, hée almoſt vſeth againe to require repentance (ſignifiyng that his mercy ought to bee a cauſe that men ſhould repent: but not of the contrary, that our repentance were a foundation to deſerue pardon,) all mans life ought to be the perpetual ſtudy and exerciſe of a Chriſtian man, to mortifie his fleſh, till the ſame being ouercome, the Spirite of GOD may raigne in vsus.
21 As in the laſt hee teacheth from whence repentance is,Acts. 11.18 E…he. 2.10 ſo nowe he proueth that it is not of our power, but a ſingular gifte of God: and they onelyonly are indued therewith, whom God will deliuer from deſtruction. As repentance therefore is a ſigne of ſaluation, ſo hardening is a ſigne of reprobation, as out of Eſay, & the Apoſtle appeareth.Heb. 6.6 Yet this place of the Apoſtle, which only denieth remiſſion of ſinnes to the willing Apoſtataes doth make nothing for the Nouatians.
22 By this occaſion he ſheweth that that is ſo horrible an offence, the ſinne of the holy Ghoſt, that it ſhall not bée pardoned: bringing a true definitiō therof, and prouing, and ſhewing the ſame out of the ſcriptures. They ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt,Matth. 12.32 Luke. 12.10 Acts. 6.10 which of ſet purpoſe reſiſt the truth of God, with ye brightneſſe whereof they are ſo dazeled, that they cānot pretend ignorance, which they do only to this end, to reſiſt. They yt ſtumble vnwares againſt the truth of God, not knowing it, which doe ignorantly ſpeake euell of Chriſt, hauing yet this minde, that they would not extinguiſh the trueth of God, diſcloſed vntounto them, or once with one word offered him whō they had knowne to bée the Lordes annointed: theſe men ſinne againſt the father & the ſonne: ſuch ignorance was in the Iewes which were carried wc zeale of the law to ſtone Steuē to death;Acts. 6.10 1. Tim. 1.13 and alſo in Paul himſelfe, as he teſtifieth. 23 But the better that ye place may be enterpreted, he ſheweth yt hee ſpeaketh not of one particular fal or other, but of the vniuerſall defection or departing. wherby the reprobates doe forſake ſaluation.2. Iohn. 1.19 And ye Nouatians are deceaued in the paralogiſme of the word, falling and ſinning: For they imagine that they that hauehave ſtolne or committed fornication,Heb. 6.4 after they hauehave byn taught by the law the contrary, may not be forgeuen. But it is to be vnderſtoode of them that with aduiſed vngodlineſſe, hauehave choked the light of the holy ſpirite, hauehave ſpit out againſt the taſt of the heauenly gift, hauehave eſtranged them ſelues from the ſanctification of the holy ghoſt, hauehave troden vnderunder foote the worde of God & the powers of the worlde to come. And where he ſaith, there is left no ſacrifice for them that ſinne willingly after the knowledge of ye trueth receiued, he doth not deny that Chriſt is a continuall ſacrifice to purge the iniquities of the holy ones, which he ſheweth in the whole Epiſtle: but he ſaith,Heb. 10.16 that there remaimaineth no other whē it is once forſaken: and it is forſaken when ye trueth of the Goſpel is of ſet purpoſe renounced. 24 In that it ſéemeth very hard to ſom yt any at al are put away frō remiſſion which flie to beſéech gods mercy, is thus wiped away: Pardon is not denied to thē that repent, but by the iuſt iudgement of god it is denied ye reprobate for their vnthākfulnes,Zac. 7.42 Eze. 18.2… yt they ſhould at any time riſe to repentance. If on ye contrary they ſéeke that ye reprobate ſometimes do crie vntounto ye Lord wt howling & wéeping, ye ſame is no true repentāce or inuocatiō, but only a miſerable carefulneſſe and horrible torment, which doth conſtraine them vnwillingly to God. 25 If on the other ſide, may be obiected that the wicked ſometimes obteined pardon by their fained repentance: and God was appeaſed, yet muſt it bee vnderſtood that god ſpareth no hypocrites at any time,1. Kings. 28.29 Gen. 27.18 Pſal. 78.36.37 any otherwiſe, but that the wrath of God ſhoulde continually lye vponupon them: and the ſame is doone not ſo much for their ſakes, as for common example, whereby the godly vndoubtedly are more eaſily encouraged to an earneſt correction of life, and their pride is more gréeuouſly condemned that ſtubbornely kicke againſt the pricke.