Brown - BS2685 B86 1695

ì C H A P. 29. Repentance no Condition of 3tuJtifcation. 363 fame intere(t in 'unification : but when the Scripture never once faith , that we are juttified by Repentance , for us to devife fucb explications, as to ma- kethe Scripture fpeak what it neverfpeaketh is not fair, nor is it to edi fication , becaufe it bath no tendency to explaine the matter , as expreffed in the Scriptures; and is fo far from clearing up the truth , that it darkeneth all ; for hereby we are taught to underhand faith , wherever we hear of Re- pentance , & Repentance , where mention is made of Faith ; fo that we may a(cribe all to Repentance that is fpoken of Faith Pleb. ir. &fay,, that Repentance is the fubhance of things hoped for , & the evidence of things nor fees &c. (2) T hough it is true, the word Repentance (as we have feen ) is fometime taken fo largely as to include faith ; yet that will not allow us,. to fay , we are 'unified by Repentance , as we are juhified by Faith : It is heft for us to follow Scripture language: The Scripture expreflydenieth, that we are juftified by works ; & yet Repentance is fomettmes, taken in fuch a large fence , as to include all ads of Obedience ; This way then would allow us to fav,we are 'unified by all works ofobedience , ( even as to con ftitutive 'unification ) as we are by Faith : Yet Mr. Baxter in his Confeff. p. 89, 90. putteth a difference betwixt Faith & Evangelick Obedience as to this Conítitutive 'unification- , making the one , like content to marriage n...- lation , or taking one to be my Captarne; & theother like conjugal fidelity & obedience , or obeying the captain , & fighting under him , & tels us, that he no morecomprizeth all Obedience in .Faith , than conjugal obe- dience in the marriage content. (3) That Repentance is not the fame with Faith in the matter of juhification ; ( in reference to which , we now fpeak of both ) will appear from our following reafons: So that whatever paines be taken to make them one , on other accounts, will be to no purpofe , as to our prefent bufrnefs. 2. if Repentance have the fame interen in Juttification , that Faith bath , then works shall have the fame interen with Faith; but this is diametically oppofire to all the Aponies difpat.(Zpm. 3. & 4. &gal. 2. & 3. The reafon of the Confequen,ce is, becaufe Repentance includ th works, & is a fpecial work &a &of obedience itfelf Pvir.Baxter. tels Conftf. p. 94. That Paul': fcopeo; both to take down Mofes's Laic+ (efpecially its neccfjityd1'conceited fufi- ciency) d..9' the Dignity of legal works (d9' cònfegttently of any works) dT that the- refore by works Paul meaneth to exclude only meriter , or works which are conceiv- ed Meritorious ; or which for the worth of the deed done, should procure Pardon d? acceptance with God, without a Mediators blood; d? fo Paul himfelf defcribed the works , that he fpeaketh again fi. Rom. 4:4. That they are fuch as rnalee the .1te- ward to benotof Grace, but of debt. Anf. This is but the farne we heard befo- re from lohn Goodwine, and the fame anfwer may fuffice. (t) If the fcope of Paul had been only to take down Mofes's Law ; why did he (peak fo much of the Gentiles , & chew how they were all under fin , & therefore mull be ju- ftified by Faith , & not by tbv Law , or by works ? This had no manifeti tendency to that (cope. (2) \Y/hy brought he in the Inflance of Abraham, who was before the Law of Mofes ? Abraham's not being juhified by works, could not prove the infufliciency of Mofes': aw thereunto : (3) To think, Y that

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