10. Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works, as you, think I have allowed you too much.――Nay, my brethren, but how can we help allowing it, if we allow the scriptures to be from God? For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, _Without holiness no man shall see the Lord_? And how then, without fighting about words, can we deny, that holiness is a condition of final acceptance? And, as to the first acceptance or pardon, does not all experience as well as scripture prove, that no man ever yet truly _believed the gospel_, who did not first _repent_? That none was ever yet truly _convinced of righteousness_, who was not first _convinced of sin_? Repentance therefore in _this_ sense, we cannot deny to be necessarily previous to faith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into known, wilful sin, (suppose it were drunkenness or uncleanness) stifles that repentance or conviction? And can that repentance come to any good issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother? Or who obstinately refrains from what God convinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word? Would you scruple yourself to tell one of these, “Why, if you _will_ thus drink away all conviction, how should you ever truly know your want of Christ? Or consequently, believe in him?――If you _will_ not forgive your brother _his_ trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you _your_ trespasses――If you will not ask, how can you expect to receive?――If you _will_ not hear, how can _faith come by hearing_? It is plain, you _grieve the Spirit of God_; you _will not_ have him to reign over you. Take care that he does not utterly depart from you. For _unto him that hath, shall be given: but from him that hath not_, i. e. uses it not, _shall be taken away, even that which he hath_.” Would you scruple, on a proper occasion to say this? You could not scruple it, if you believe the bible. But in saying this, you allow all which I have said, viz. That previous to justifying faith, there _must_ be repentance, and if opportunity permit, _Fruits meet for repentance_.
*11. And yet I allow you this, that altho’ both repentance and the fruits thereof are in _some sense_ necessary before justification, yet neither the one nor the other is necessary in the _same sense_, or in the _same degree_ with faith. Not in the _same degree_. For in whatever moment a man believes (in the Christian sense of the word) he is justified, his sins are blotted out, _his faith is counted to him for righteousness_. But it is not so, at whatever moment he repents, or brings forth any, or all the fruits of repentance. Faith alone therefore justifies; which repentance alone does not; much less any outward work. And consequently, none of these are necessary to justification, in the _same degree_ with faith.
*Nor in the _same sense_. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is _proximately_ necessary thereto; repentance, _remotely_, as it is necessary to the increase or continuance of faith. And even in this sense, these are only necessary, on supposition――――if there be time and opportunity for them: for in many instances there is not: but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance. So that the general proportion is not overthrown, but clearly established by these concessions; and we conclude still, both on the authority of scripture and the church, that faith alone is the proximate condition of justification.
III. 1. I was once inclined to believe that none would openly object, against what I had any where said of the _nature of salvation_. How greatly then was I surprised some months ago, when I was shewn a kind of circular letter, which one¹ of those whom _the Holy Ghost hath made overseers_ of his church, I was informed, had sent to all the clergy of his diocese!
¹ The (then) Archbishop of _York_.