| Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ πιστεύσῃ ἁμάρτημα εἶναι ᾧ προκατείχε- | that state of repentance I have been now describing, το, οὐδὲ μεταθήσεται· κἂν μὴ πιστεύσῃ κόλασιν μὲν | which is,—a perfect abrenunciation of all iniquity, ἐπηρτῆσθαι τῷ πλημμελοῦντι, σωτηρίαν δὲ τῷ κατὰ and a sincere obedience in the faith of Jesus Christ : τὰς ἐντολὰς βιοῦντι, οὐδ ̓ οὗτος μεταβαλεῖται· ἤδη δὲ which is the result of all the foregoing considerκαὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς ἐκ πίστεως συνέστηκεν “ Repentance is ations and usages of words; and is farther manithe perfection and consummation of faith. For fested in the following appellatives and descriptions, unless the sinner believes his action to be a sin, and by which repentance is signified and recommended that evil is his portion if he sins, and that he shall to us in Scripture. be happy if he lives by the rule of the commandments, he can never be converted."-Therefore, in the conversion of the gentiles, faith was to be ordinarily the first. 8. In proportion to these several methods, the doctrine or state of christianity was sometimes called "faith," P sometimes "repentance :" he that believed Jesus Christ, would repent of his sins; and he that did repent, would believe. But sometimes infidelity stood at the gate, and sometimes malice and vile affections. That which stood next, was first to be removed. 9. Now the access of both these to Christ is in Scripture called "conversion," or repentance. Where faith only was wanting, and the man was of Moses and a good man, the becoming a christian was a TEλεiwσis, "a perfection," or "consummation,"-"a progression" rather than "a returning," πроко), not avaσrpoon. But when Christ had been preached, all the obfirmation and obstinacy of mind by which they shut their eyes against that light, all that was choice, and interest, or passion, and was to be rescinded by repentance. But "conversion" was the word indifferently used concerning the change both of Jews and gentiles, because they both abounded in iniquity, and did need this change, called by St. Paul άτоλúтρwσis ȧnò náons avoμías, "a redemption from all iniquity;" by St. Peter, άπоσтроoǹ άÃÒ Tоvηρiv, “a conversion from wickedness."'r 11. I. It is called "reconciliation," Karaλλay. "We pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God;" that is, to be friends with him, no longer to stand in terms of distance; for every habitual sinner, every one that provokes him to anger by his iniquity, is his enemy: not that every sinner hates God by a direct hate; but as obedience is love, so disobedience is enmity or hatred by interpretation, Expoì ry diavola Ev Tois ovηpois, "enemies in their mind by wicked works."t So St. Paul expresses it: and therefore the reconciling of these, is to represent them "holy and unblamable, and unreprovable in his sight."-Pardon of sins is the least part of this reconciliation; our sins and our sinfulness too must be taken away: that is, our old guilt and the remanent affections must be taken off, before we are friends of God. And therefore we find this reconciliation pressed on our parts; we are reconciled to God," not "God to us." For although the term be relative, and so signifies both parts; as conjunction, and friendship, and society, and union do: yet it pleased the Spirit of God by this expression to signify our duty expressly, and to leave the other to be supposed; because if our parts be done, whatsoever is on God's part can never fail. And, 2. Although this reconciliation begins on God's part, and he first invites us to peace, and gave his Son a sacrifice; yet God's love is very revocable till we are reconciled by obedience and conformity. 66 "the 12. II. It is called "renewing," and that either with the connotation of the subject renewed, or the cause renewing. "The renewing of the Holy Ghost," and "the renewing of the mind," or spirit of the mind." u The word is exactly the same with μɛrávoia, which is a change of mind from worse to better, as it is distinguished from the fruits and effects of it. So, "be renewed in your mind;" 10. In analogy and proportion to these repentances and conversions of Jews and gentiles, the repentances of christians may be called " conversion." We have an instance of the word so used in the case of St. Peter; "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren;" that is, When thou art returned from thy folly and sin of denying the Lord, do thou confirm thy brethren, that they may not fall as thou hast done. This is avaσrpoon—that is, throw away all your foolish principles, ἀπὸ ματαίων, and ἀπ' ἀδικίας, a conversion from vanity, and impiety, or injustice;" when a person of any evil life returns to his duty, and his undertaking in baptism, from the unregenerate to the regenerate estate, that is, from habitual sin to habitual grace. But the repentances of good men for their sins of infirmity, or the seldom interruptions of a good life by single falls, is not properly "conversion." But as the distance from God is, from whence we are to retire, so is the degree of our conversion. The term from whence, is various; but the term whither we go, is the same. All must come to God through Jesus Christ in the measures and strictness of the evangelical holiness; which is and nonsense-propositions, by which you use to be 13. III. "A new creature ;-the new man ;— created in righteousness:" for the state of repentance is so great an alteration, that in some sense s Luke xxii. 32. James iii. 20. Matt. xiii. 15. John xii. 40. t Col. i. 21, 22. u Tit. iii. 5. Rom. xii. 2. Eph. iv. 23. it is greater than the creation; because the things created had in them no opposition to the power of God, but a pure capacity obediential: but a sinner hath dispositions opposite to the Spirit of grace, and he must unlearn much, before he can learn any thing; he must die before he can be born. Nam quodcunque suis mutatum finibus exit, Continuò hoc mors est illius, quod fuit ante.-LUCRET. Our sins, the body of sin, the spirit of uncleanness, "the old man, must be abolished, mortified, crucified, buried," our sins "must be laid away," we must “ hate the garments spotted with the flesh,” and our 66 garments must be whitened in the blood of the Lamb;" our "hearts must be purged from an evil conscience, purified as God is pure," that is, as St. Paul expresses it, "from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, denying (or renouncing) all ungodliness and worldly lusts." z 14. And then as the antithesis or consequent of this is, when we have laid away our sin, and renounced ungodliness; we must live godly, righteously, and soberly, in this present world; "a we must not live either to the world, or to ourselves, but to Christ: Hic dies aliam vitam adfert, alios mores postulat;" our manner of life must be wholly differing from our former vanities, so that the life which we now live in the flesh, we must live by the faith of the Son of God, that is, according to his laws and most holy discipline. 15. This is pressed earnestly upon us by those many precepts of "obedience to God, to Christ, to the holy gospel, to the truth, to the doctrine of faith; of doing good, doing righteousness, doing the truth; serving in the newness of the spirit; giving our members up as servants of righteousness unto holiness; being holy in all conversation; following after peace with all men, and holiness; being followers of good works; providing things honest in the sight of God and men; abhorring evil, and cleaving to that which is good; perfecting holiness in the fear of God: to be perfect in every good work, being filled with the fruits of righteousness; walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; abounding in the work of the Lord." c TEλeio and TεAnpwμévo are the words often used, "filled full, and perfect." 16. To the same purpose is it, that we are commanded to live in Christ, and unto God;"d that is, to live according to their will, and by their rule, and to their glory, and in their fear and love: called by St. Paul, "to live in the faith of the Son of God: to be followers of Christ, and of God; to dwell in Christ, and to abide in him; to walk according to the commandments of God, in good works, in truth, according to the Spirit; to walk in light, to walk with God;"e which was said of Enoch: of whom the Greek LXX read ɛvnpéotnoe tŵ Deÿ, "he pleased God."-There are very many more to the same purpose. For with great caution and earnestness the Holy Scriptures placed the duties of mankind in practice and holiness of living, and removes it far from a confidence of notion and speculation. "Qui fecerit, et docuerit," "He that doth them, and teaches them, shall be great in the kingdom;" and "Why do you call me Lord, Lord,' and do not the things I say to you?" and, "Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you." IIpéπον οὖν μὴ μόνον καλεῖσθαι χριστιανοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἶναι· οὐ γὰρ τὸ λέγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἶναι μακάριον πOLET. "We must not only be called christians, but be so; for not to be called, but to be so, brings us to felicity;" that is, since the life of a christian is the life of repentance, whose work it is for ever to contend against sin, for ever to strive to please God, a dying to sin, a living to Christ, he that thinks his repentance can have another definition, or is completed in any other, or in fewer parts, must be of another religion that is taught by Christ and his holy apostles. This is the faith of the Son of God, this is that state of excellent things which he purchased with his blood: and as "there is no other name under heaven," so there is no other faith, no other repentance, "whereby we can be saved." Upon this article it is usual to discourse of sorrow and contrition, of confession of sins, of making amends, of self-affliction, and some other particulars: but because they are not parts, but actions, fruits, and significations, of repentance, I have reserved them for their proper place. Now I am to apply this general doctrine to particular states of sin and sinners, in the following chapters. SECTION III. Descriptions of Repentance taken from the Holy Scriptures. WHEN heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee: if they pray towards this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin when thou afflictest them: then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.k And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.m Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right: if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity; he shall even live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live." Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness." Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.P And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter." For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.3 That ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on that new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.t Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord: and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. But now, ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.* For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world: looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness, springing up, trouble you, thereby many be defiled.2 and * Col. iii. 1-3, 5, 8-10. Heb. xii. 1, 2, 14, 15. Of his own will begat he us with the word of | first, and also of the gentile; but glory, honour, and truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew creatures. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and first, and also to the gentile. superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.z Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity: for if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.b Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.c Who his ownself bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.d The indispensable Necessity of a good Life, represented in the following Scriptures. Whosoever breaketh one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.* Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.k Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.1 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.m For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love." For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." And this pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment : that ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere, and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.P Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk, and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. know what commandments we gave by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.9 For ye For As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you (as a father doth his children); that ye should walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, things which I say ?! Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.g I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God.h Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who, by patient continuance in welldoing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew to serve the living God?s And having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water: let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised). And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses's law, died without : mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under-foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace ?1 For the time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?u And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.* And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.y A penitential Psalm, collected out of the Psalms and Prophets. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them; In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. Our feet have run to evil, our thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. The way of peace we have not known: we have made us crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. Therefore do we wait for light, but behold obscurity for brightness, but we walk in darkness. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? are they restrained? We are indeed as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags: and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. But now, O Lord, thou art our Father: we are the clay, and thou our potter, and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O Lord; neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are thy people. Thou, O Lord, art our Redeemer: thy name is from everlasting. O Lord, Father and Governor of my whole life, leave me not to the sinful counsels of my own heart, and let me not any more fall by them. Set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over my heart, lest my ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction. O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from thy servant always a haughty mind. t Heb. x. 21-29. Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold him up that is always desirous to serve thee. Let not the greediness of the belly, nor the lust of the flesh, take hold of me and give not thy servant over to an impudent mind. There is a word that is clothed about with death: God grant it be not found in the portion of thy servant. For all such things shall be far from the godly, and they shall not wallow in their sins. Though my sins be as scarlet, yet make them white as snow: though they be red like crimson, let them be as wool. For I am ashamed of the sins I have desired, and am confounded for the pleasures that I have chosen. Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am, and that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up for they are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. But thou, O Lord, though mine iniquities testify against me, save me for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many, we have sinned grievously against thee. But the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me, who will contend with me? The Lord God will help me, who is he that shall condemn me? I will trust in the Lord, and stay upon my God. O let me have this of thine hand, that I may not lie down in sorrow. St. Paul's Prayer for a holy Life. I. I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant unto me according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man : that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith; that being rooted and grounded in love, I may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge: and may be filled with all the fulness of God, through the same our most blessed Saviour Jesus. Amen.z The Doxology. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us: unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. |