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Whether the Gospel Preaches Repentance

16467 min read

ROM. 3. 27.

I Proceed to the handling of this Question, Whether the Gospel preach repentance or no: seeing this made the great commotion at first between the Orthodox and Antinomians. I shall dispatch this in few words,

  1. The word [Repentance,] is taken sometimes largely, and sometimes1 strictly: when it is taken largely, it comprehends faith in it, and is the whole turnign unto God Rev. 2. 5. sometimes it is used strictly, for sorrow about sin, and so distinguished from faith. Thus, they repented not, that they might beleeve; and faith and repentance are put together, Now all the while a man hath trouble and sorrow for sin, without faith, it is like the body without the soul; yea, it carrieth a man with Cain, and Judas, into the very pit of dispair; when a man seeth how much is against him, and not how much is for him, it cannot but crush, and weigh him down to the ground. The tears of repentance are like those waters, very bitter, till Christ sweeten them.

  2. Consider this, that the Law was never meerly and solely administred, nor yet the Gospel, but they are twins, that are inseparably2 united in the Word and Ministery. Howsoever strictly taken, there is a vast gulf of opposition between each other; yet in their use they become exceeding subservient, and helpfull mutually. It is not good for the Law to be alone, nor yet the Gospel. Now the old Antinomians, they taught repentance by the Gospel only, that so the Law might be wholly excluded. thus they did not consider what usefull subserviencie they had to one another. The Law directeth, commandeth, and humbleth: The Gospel, that comforteth, refresheth, and supporteth. And it is a great wisedom in a Christian, when he hath an eye upon both. Many are cast down, because they only consider the perfection of the Law, and their inability thereunto: on the other side, some grow secure and loose, by attending to free-grace only. I do acknowledge, that free-grace will melt the heart into kindness, and the fire will melt, as well as the hammer batter into pieces; but yet, even this cannot be done, without some use of the Law.

  3. Therefore, being there is such a neer linck between both these3 in their practicall use, we need not, with some learned men, make two Commandements of the Gospel only; to wit, the command to beleeve, and the other command to repent: neither need we, with others, make these commands Appendices to the Gospel. but conclude thus, that, seeing Faith and Repentance have something initial in them, and something consummative in them, therefore they are both wrought by Law and Gospel also: so that, as they say there is a legal repentance and an evangelical; so we may say, there is a legal faith, which consists in believing of the threatnings, & the terrours of the Lord; and there is an evangelical faith, which is in applying of Christ in the Promises. So that legal faith, and repentance, may be called so initially; and when it is evangelical, it may be said to be consummate. If therefore you aske, Whether Faith and Repentance be by the Law, or by the Gospel; I answer, It is by both and that these must not be seperated one from the other in the command of these duties.

Hence, fourthly, unbeliefe is a sin against the Law, as well as against4 the Gospel. Indeed the Gospel, that doth manifest, and declare the object of justifying faith, but the Law condemneth him that doth not believe in him: therefore Moses and the Law is said to bear witness of Christ, and to accuse the Jews for refusing the Messias. The Law, that requireth belief in whatsoever God shall reveal: The Gospel that makes known Christ; and then the Law, is as it were, enlightened by the Gospel, doth fasten a command upon us to beleeve in Christ. This is true, if you take the Law strictly and seperately from Moses his administration of it: but if you take it largely, as it was delivered by Moses, then faith in Christ was immediately commanded there, though obscurely, because (as is proved) it was a Covenant of grace. You see then, that as in the transfiguration, there was Christ, and Moses together in glory; so likewise may the Law, and the Gospel be together in their glory; and it is through our folly, when we make them practically to hinder one another.

Though all this be true, yet if the Gospel be taken strictly, it5 is not a doctrine of repentance, or holy works; but a meere gracious promise of Christ to the broken heart for sin; and doth comprehend no more then the glad tydings of a Saviour. It is true, learned men do sometimes speak otherwise, calling Faith and repentance the two Evangelicall commands, but then they use the word more largely, for the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles, but in a strict sense its only a promise of Christ, and his benefits: And in this sense we may say, the Gospel doth not terrifie, or accuse. Indeed there are wofull threatnings to him that rejecteth Christ; yea more severe then to him that refused Moses, but this ariseth from the Law joyned in practicall use with the Gospel. And in this sense also it is said to be the savour of death unto many. This ariseth not from the nature of the Gospel, but from the Law, that is enlightened by the Gospel: so that he being already condemned by the Law, for not beleeving in Christ, he needeth to be condemned again by the Gospel.

If you say, May not the sufferings of Christ make us to repent of sin, and all the love he shewed therein? Do not godly Ministers, to work people into an hatred of sin, tell them the price of blood is in every sin committed? Is it not said, that they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn for their sins?

I answer, all this is true, but then these things work by way of an object, not as a command; and it is from the Law, that we should shew our selves kind unto him who loved us unto death; so that the object is indeed from the Gospel, but the command, to be affected with his death, because of his kindness therein manifested, doth arise from Gods Law: Let therefore those who say, that the preaching of the Gospel will humble men, and break their hearts for their sins, consider how that it is true, by the Gospel as an object, by the Law, as that which commands such affections to those objects.

Let the use of this doctrine be, to direct Christians in their practicall improvement of Law and Gospel, without hindring each other. There are many things in Christianity that the people of God make to oppose one another, when yet they would promote each other, if wisely ordered. Thus they make their joy and trembling, their faith, and repentance, their zeal and prudence, the Law and Gospel to thwart one another; whereas by spiritual wisdom they might unite them: take the Law for a goad, the Gospel for a cordial: from the one be instructed, from the other be supported: when thy heart is careless and dull, run thither to be excited; when thy soul is dejected and fearfull, throw thy self into the armes of the Gospel. The Law hath a loveliness in it as well as the Gospel: the one is a pure character and Image of the holiness of God; the other is of the mercy and goodness of God; so that the consideration of either may wonderfully inflame thy affections and raise them up.

Footnotes

  1. Repentance strictly taken, is distinguished from Faith. ↩

  2. The Law and the Gospel are inseperably united in the Word and Ministery. ↩

  3. Faith and Repentance are wrought both by the Law and the Gospel. ↩

  4. Vnbeliefe a sin against the Law, as well as the Gospel. ↩

  5. The Gospel taken strictly, comprehends no more then the glad tidings of a Saviour. ↩

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