FORMAL CAUSE OF JUSTIFICATION. 213
weakened by the doctrine of the miputation of the righteousness of Christ, yea, it is strengthened and made efiectnal thereby; for with- out it, in the order of the gospel, an interest therein is not to be attained. And this is that which, in the Old Testament, is so often proposed as the means and condition of turning away the judgments and punishments threatened unto sin; for it is true and sincere in its kind. Neither do the Socinians require any other repentance unto justification; for as they deny true evangelical repentance in all the especial causes of it, so that which may and doth precede faith in order of nature is all that they require. This objection, therefore, as managed by them, is a causeless, vain pretence.
(2.) Justifying faith includeth in its nature the entire principle of evangelical repentance, so as that it is utterly impossible that a man should be a true believer, and not, at the same instant of time, be truly jyenitent; and therefore are they so frequently conjoined in the Scripture as one simultaneous duty. Yea, the call of the gospel unto repentance is a -call to faith acting itself by repentance : so the sole reason of that call unto rej)entance which the forgiveness of sins is annexed unto. Acts ii. 88, is the proposal of the promise which is the object of faith, verse 39. And those conceptions and affections wliich a man hath about sin, with a sorrow for it and repentance of it, upon a legal conviction, being enlivened and made evangelical by the introduction of faith as a new principle of them, and giving new motives unto them, do become evangelical; so impossible is it that faith should be without repentance. Wherefore, although the first act of faith, and its only proper exercise unto justification, doth re- spect the grace of God in Christ, and the way of salvation by him, as proposed in the promise of the gospel, yet is not this conceived in order of time to precede its actings in self-displicency, godly so7'row, and universal conversion from sin unto God ; nor can it be so, see- ing it virtually and radically containeth all of them in itself. How- ever, therefore, evangeUcal repentance is not the condition of our justification, so as to have any direct influence thereinto ; nor are we said anywhere to be justified by repentance; nor is conversant about the proper object which alone the soul respects therein ; nor is a direct and immediate giving glory unto God on the account of the way and work of his wisdom and grace in Christ Jesus, but a consequent thereof; nor is that reception of Chi'ist which is ex- pressly required unto our justification, and which alone is required thereunto ; — yet is it, m the root, principle, and promptitude of mind for its exercise, in every one that is justified, then when he is justi- fied. And it is peculiarly proposed with respect unto the forgiveness of sins, as that without which it is impossible we should have any true sense or comfort of it in our souls; but it is not so as any \)i\it
214 ox JUSTIFICATION.
of that righteousness on the consideration wliereof our sins are par- doned, nor as that whereby we have an interest therein. These things are plain in the divine method of our justification, and the order of our duty prescribed in the gospel ; as also in the experience of them that do believe. Wherefore, considering the necessity of legal repentance unto believing ; with the sanctification of the affections exercised therein by faith, whereby they are made evangelical; and the nature of faith, as including in it a principle of universal con- version unto God ; and in especial, of that repentance which hath for its principal motive the love of God and of Jesus Christ, with the gi"ace from thence communicated, — all which are supposed in the doc- trine pleaded for; the necessity of true repentance is immovably fixed on its proper foundation.
(3.) As unto what was said in the objection concerning Christ's S2if- fering in the person of ths elect, I know not whether any have used it or no, nor will I contend about it. He suffered in their stead ; which all sorts of writers, ancient and modem, so express, — in his suf- ,fering he hare the person of the church. The meaning is what was before declared. Christ and believers are one mystical person, one spiritually- animated body, head and members. This, I suppose, Avill not be denied ; to do so, is to overtlurow the church and the faith of it. Hence, what he did and suffered is imputed unto them. And it is granted that, as the surety of the covenant, he paid all our debts, or answered for all our faults ; and that his righteousness is really communicated unto us. "Why, then," say some, " there is no need of repentance; all is done for us already." But why so? why must we assent to one part of the gospel unto the exclusion of another? Was it not free unto God to appoint what way, method, and order he would, whereby these things should be communicated unto us? Nay, upon the supposition of the design of his wisdom and grace, these two things were necessary : —