Chonoyterion he Sion. The refinement of Zion: or, The old orthodox Protestant doctrine justified, and defended against several exceptions of the Antinomians, methodically digested into questions, wherein many weighty and important cases of conscience are handled, concerning the nature of faith and repentance, or conversion to God: of his eternal love, and beholding of sin in his dearest children: of justification from eternity, of of [sic] preparations to the acceptance of Christ, of prayer for pardon of sin, and turning to God: of the gospel covenant, aud [sic] tenders of salvation, on the termes of faith and repentance. For the establishment of the scrupulous, conviction of the erroneous, and consolation of distressed consciences. By Anthony Warton, minister of the word at Breamore in Hampshire.

SECT. IIII. We do put on Christ, and apply him unto our selves by Faith.

I Will now leave Mr. S. for a while, and return to Mr. D. I cannot conceive (saith he) how Faith should put on Christ. Can you conceive then, what St Paul mean∣eth, when he saith,* 1.1 Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus, for as many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, to wit, by that Faith of theirs, where∣of in their Baptism they made profession. The meaning of this metaphorical speech of his, is to teach us, that if we do appear before God naked, as we are of our selves, our filthiness and deformity is such, that God will loath and abhor us. We must therefore put on Christ, or cloath our selves with Christ, as it were with a garment, that we may be amiable in Gods eyes, that is, we must be united unto Christ, as a mans garment which he putteth on, is to his Body, before we can find any acceptance with God,: For he hath made us accepted in his beloved,* 1.2 This was typified and presignred by Jacobs obtaining of

his Fathers blessing, by coming and appearing before him in the garments of his elder brother; for so we do ob∣tain the blessed inheritance of Heaven by being invested with Christs righteousness. But contrary hereunto Mr. D. telleth us,* 1.3 That this is our receiving of Christ, our putting on of Christ, our living by Faith, that Faith assu∣reth us of Gods favour, and good will towards as in Je∣sus Christ. But who seeth not, that he doth here con∣found things that differ. For it is one thing to receive a thing, and to put it on; and another to be assured that we have done both these, that is, not only received it, but put it on. And in like manner to live, and to be hereof assu∣red are diverse things. To receive Christ therefore and to put him on, and to be assured that we have received him and put him on, are divers things. And our living by Faith, and being hereby assured of Gods favour, and good will towards us, [Objection.] are divers things. But, saith he, I can not conceive how Faith doth apply Christ, or make Christ ours in the sight of God. The Reason of this his asserion is, because (as he conceiveth) Christ was ours befor•• we did believe in him. Now a man needeth not receive that, which is his own already.

[Answer.] But I answer, That although Christ in Gods eternal counsel, was given us before the foundation of the world was laid, that is, decreed to be given us and to be made ours; yet he is not actually ours, until we receive him. For Christ is offered unto us in the Gospel, as the gift of God, John 4.10. But as we all know, a gift when it is offered, must be received before we can have any interest or propriety in it. And hereupon it is, that Christ when he came amongst his own Countreymen the Jews, and offered himself unto them, St. John saith, that to as ma∣ny as received him, he gave power to be the Sons of God, even to those that believed in his name; giving us to understand who they were that received him, to wit, such as believed in him. Now why doth the Evangelist speak thus, if Christ be not received by Faith? The Apostle telleth the Ephesians,* 1.4 that they in the dayes of their ignorance and infide∣lity

were without Christ. I would know therefore how they came to have Christ, but by receiving him, when he was offered unto them in the preaching of the Gospel?

But here it may be said, Christ in his Gospel, [Question.] requi∣reth of us Repentance, and new Obedience, as well as Faith,* 1.5 Why then should we be said to receive Christ, and to apply him, and his merits unto us any more by Faith, then by our Repentance.

To this I answer, [Answer.] That Faith is required of us as the only instrument, or means, whereby we are to receive Christ, and his merits, when they are offered unto us in the Gospel. For so ye have heard the Scripture tell us, that Christ is received by Faith, and Paul saith,* 1.6 that for∣giveness of sins, and the inheritance of Heaven, which Christ hath purchased for us, are received by Faith. Now there is no such thing spoken, of Repentance, or new Obedi∣ence, but they are required in another respect, or for another Reason, to wit, That we may have communion with Christ, and glorifie the name of God, and his Go∣spel by living holily. Thus both Faith and Repentance are Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, or of the Gospel; but, in divers respects. For by Faith we receive Christ, and salvation by him; and without Repentance, we cannot receive him, or the salvation which by his death he hath purchased, and in his Gospel offereth un∣to us. Briefly then, thus it is. Faith is a condition neces∣sary to be performed by us, that we may thereby receive Christ, and be incorporated, and united unto him: Repentance is Conditio sine qua non, that is, a necessary condition without the performance whereof,* 1.7 we can have no communion with Christ, nor hope of Heaven.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 3.26.
• * 1.2

  Eph. 1.6.
• * 1.3

  Reconcil. of man to God, pag. 57.
• * 1.4

  Eph. 2.12.
• * 1.5

  Mark 1.15. Heb. 5.9. Acts 3.26.
• * 1.6

  Acts 26.18.
• * 1.7

  2 Cor. 6.14. Heb. 5.9.