ARGVMENT. III.
Repentance is begun before faith in Christ, because men cannot beleeve in Christ, as long as they live in their sinnes.
The reason is good, because to live Page 250 wilfully in sinne, and to repent of sinne, are contrary: so that if men cannot be∣leeve in Christ, as long as they live in their sinnes, then cannot they beleeve in Christ, as long as they repent not: then must they repent before they be∣leeve in Christ; and therefore conse∣quently, repentance must be begun be∣fore faith in Christ.
And that men cannot beleeve in Christ, as long as they live in their sins, is true in the Scribes and Pharises; who therefore could not beleeve in him, be∣cause they lived in their sinnes, and re∣pented not; which I prove by two te∣stimonies of Christ himselfe concer∣ning them; who shewing why they be∣leeved not in him, gives this for a rea∣son of it.
The first testimony is in S. Iohns Go∣spell, where he saith of the Scribes and Pharises,* How can ye beleeve, that receive honour one of another? that is, Your pur∣posing to live in your worldly honour and pompe, and not to leave your pride and ambition, is the cause why you be∣leeve not in me.
The second is in S. Matthew, where he saith,* that the Scribes and Pharises repented not that they might beleeve: where Page 251 our Saviour gives a reason, why they beleeved not in Christ, as well as the Publicans and harlots, namely, because they repented not as well as they.
And that this is a good reasoning, or arguing, I prove by two other Texts of Scripture, in the booke of the Revela∣tion, where the holy Ghost saith, They repeated not, that they might not worship de∣vils: and they repented not, that they might give glory to God. Whe••• thus argue: If in the first Text there be a reason ren∣dred why some ceased not to worship devils, (that is, idols) namely, because they repented not first of their former idolatry: and in the second there be a reason rendred, why some gave not glo∣ry to God; namely, because they re∣pented not first of their former disho∣nouring of him: then by proportion must it be true, that where our Saviour saith, the Scribes and Pharises repented not that they might beleeve, there is a rea∣son rendred, why they beleeved not in Christ, namely, because they repented not first of their infidelitie. and other grievous sinnes, as pride, ambition and covetousnesse; which being true, then will it follow, that men cannot beleeve in Christ, as long as they live in their Page 252 sinnes: and therefore repentance must be begun before faith in Christ.
