Contr. Sce in my Difpute of Juftification, my Confutation of this Affertion in Mr. Warner. Properly Faith juftifieth not at all; but we are juftified of or by it as a condition by the tenour of Gods deed of gift. And fo far as it is the condition in that gift, fo far we are juftified by it. But it is one entire Faith in Chrift, which is the condition, without fuch diftination; therefore we are fo juftified by it. 2. According to that Rule, there must be as many acts of Faith, as there are benefits to be received, and the title to be afcribed to each one accordingly. 3. The natural relation of the ad to the object, theweth no more but what the nature or effence of that Faith is, and not how we come to be juftified by it. 4. The fenfe containeth this falle Propofition [Haefides qua talu, or qua fides juftificat: Faith as Faith, or as this Faith in fpecie, juftifieth (which fome call the (To credere) For it is the effence of Faith which they call its Reception of Chrifts Righte ufneß. 5. The true paffive Reception of Righteoufnels and Pardon, is that of the perfon, as he is the terminus of the donative or juftifying act of the Covenant: To receive Pardon properly, is to be pardoned: But our Active Receiving or Confent, is but the condition of it; and there is no proof or reason that the condition fhould be fo parcelled. 6. Yet if by your quatenus you intend no more than the defcription of the act of Faith as effentially related to its fubfequent benefit, and not at all to fpeak of its conditional neareft intereft in our Juftification, the matter were lefs. 7. But the truth is, that if we might diftinguish where God doth not distinguish, it were much more rational to fuy, that taking Chrift for a true Maffenger of God, and a Teacher, and Sanctifier, and King, hath a greater hand in our Juftification, than taking him to juftific us (fuppofing that all be prefent.) Because the common way and reafon of conditions in Covenants is, that fomewhat which the party is wiling of, is promifed upon condition of fomething which he is unwilling of, that for the one he may be drawn to confent unto the other: As if the Phyfician thould Lay [If you will take me for your Phyfician, and refufe none of my medicines, I will undertake to cure you.] Here it is fuppofed that the Patient is willing of health, and not willing of the Medicines, but for healths fake; and therefore confenting

to the Medicines (or receiving this man to be his Phyfician as a preferiber of the Medicines) is more the condition of his cure, than his confenting to the cure it felf, or receiving the Phylician as the caufe of his health: So here it is fuppofed that condemned finners are already willing to be justified, pardonid and faved from punishment, but not willing to repent and follow the teaching and counsel of a Saviour; and there.. fore that Pardon and Juftification is given and offered them, on condition that they accept of, and fubmit to the teaching and government of Chrift, and of falvation from their fins: But the truth is, we must not prefume beyond his revelation, to give the reafons of Gods inftitutions: We are fure that the entire Belief in Christ, and accepting of himself as our perfec Saviour in order to all the ends of his Relation, is made by God in his Covenant, the condition of our title to the benc fits of his Covenant conjun&ly: And it is not only the believing in Chrift for pardon that as fuck is the condition of pardon, nor is any one at the condition of any benefis, but as it is a part of that whole Faith which is indeed the condition.

The occafion of their errour is, that they confider only what it is in Chrift the object of Faith which justifieth, fan&ifieth,&c. and they think that the ad only which is exercised on that objed must do it, which is a gross mistake: Because Faith is not like taking of mony, jewels, books, &c. into ones hand, which is a physical a✪ which taketh poffeffion of them: But it is a Jus or Debitum, a Right and Relation which we are morally and paffively to receive, as conftituting our firft Justification and Pardon; and as the condition of this we are to take Chri& for our Saviour, which is but a phyficial active metaphorical reeetving, in order to the attainment of the said passive proper reeiving (For recipere proprie eft pati.)

If an A&t be paffed, that all Traitors and Rebels, who will give up themselves to the Kings Son,as one that hath ranfomed them, to be taught and ruled by him, and reduced to their obedience,& to be their general in the wars against his enemies, fhall have pardon, and lands, and honours, and further rewards. after this fervice, here the Prince himself doth deliver them by his ranfom, and enrich them by his lands, and honour them by his honour or power,&c. But their act of giving up themselves

to him under the notion of a Ranfomer, doth no more to their deliverance, than their giving up themselves to him under the notion of a-General or Ruler, &c. Because it doth not free them as it is such an act, but as it is an act made the condition of his gift.

And note that I have before proved, that even as to the obje& Chrift juftifieth us in all the parts of his office.

Errour 27. That believing in God as God and our Father in Chrift, is not an act of Justifying Faith, but only a consequent or concomitant of it.

Contr. 1. No doubt but God mußt fome way be believed in, in order of nature, before Chrift can be believed in (as is proved) who can believe that Chrift is the Son and Meffenger of God? who believeth not that there is a God? Or that Chrift reconcileth us to God, before he believe that he is our offended God and Governeur. 2. But to believe in God as the end of our Redemption; to whofe love and favour we must be restored by Faith in Chrift, and who pardoneth by the Son, is as effential an act of Justifying Faith, as our belief in Christ.

Obje&. But not quatenus juftificantis, not of Faith as juftifying. Anfw. If by [as juftifying] you mean [not as effecting Juftification it is a falfe fuppofition: There is no fuch Faith. If you mean [not as the condition of Juftification] it is falfe: It is as effential a part of it as the condition. If you mean [not as Faith is denominated Justifying from the confequent benefit] its true, but impertinent: For the fame may be faid of Faith in Chrift; it is not called [Faith in Chrift] as it is called (by you) Juftifying. And yet I may add, that in the very phyfical nature of it, Belief in God as our God and End, is effential to it: As confenting to be bealed is effential to confenting to the Phyfician and confenting to be reconciled is effential to our confenting to a Mediation for that end: Because the refpe&t to the end is effential to the Relation confented to.

All the Faith defcribed Heb. 11. in all thofe inftances, hath Special effential respect to God.

So hath Abrahams faith, Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to bim for righteousneß. V. 5. To bina that worketh not, but believeth on him (on God) that juftifiab

the

heungodly,, die Kaish de saunted for wightemfnofsBlessed is the manto whom the Lord wil nat impute fa Before him whom he believed, evou God who quickenath stike dead--- v. 20. He faggered not at the Promise of God--- Bring fully perforaded, that what he bad promised, he was also able so perform. v. 21, 22. And therefore it was imputed to bin for wighteousness. Now it was met written for bis fake alone that it. was imputed to him, but for us also to whom it shall be impused, of we believe on him who raifed up Jesus our Lord from the tered.

Abundance fuch teftimonies are obvious in Scripture, but this being as plain as can be spoken, he maketh his own Faith, who refufeth to believe it. Our Faith in God as God hath as much hand in our Justification, as our Faith in Chrißt as Msdiatour.

But the form of the Baptismal Covenant which the Church ever used, fully proveth it as is aforefaid, though to anfæer.all ignorant cavils againftit, as an unneceffary tedioufnels I pass by.

Errour 28. The belief of Heaven, or the life to name, is no iffontial part of Justifying Faith as fuob.

Contr. The laft selwer to this Errour is fufficient: Heaven is the everlasting vifion and love of God; and therefore are juftified by believing it, though not it alone: It is Afential to our Saviour, to fave and bring us to the fruition of God.

Errour 29. That Justifying Faith is a believing that I am justified, or elect, and shall be faved by Christ.

Errour 30. That this Faith is a full affierance, or perfofem at least, including doubting.

Contr. 1. We are juftified by believing and accepting God for our God, and Chrift for our Saviour, that me may be juMified; and not by believing that we are jatified. 2. It is Hoffe, und over will be, that any of thepræfciri (as Antin null Profper call them) or the Non-Eled, are elect, or jullified, or -will-borfamed : "But the Non-Elift are commended and bound To believe with fast fame kindof Faith by which we are juli Wied: Thereforerto dadlie woalant they themflwes arc alect, flified, and fallcafavait, is at thatatind of Eaith by mi

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we are juftified. No men are bound by God on pain of dammation to believe a lye, nor damned for not believing it. 3. Affurance of perfonal pardon, is the happiness but of few truc Chriftians in this life: And where it is, it is only an effect or confequent participating of Faith See Mr. Hickman on this fubje&.

Errour 31. The meaning of that Article of our Creed [Fle hieve the remifton of firs] is, I believe that my own fins are foxgiven to me perfonaly.

Contr. Though worthy Mr. Perkins, and other ancient Divines have too much countenanced this expofition, it is false. The meaning of that Article is but this [I believe that a fufficient provision for pardon is made by Cbrift, both for fins before regene ration, and after-fault which shall be repented of and shar a pardoning Covenant is made to all, if they will repent and believe; and to me as well as others, and I accept of that gracious offer, and truft in that Covenant in Chrift.]

Its dangerous mifexpounding Articles of the Creed.

Errour 32. At least it is an að of Divine Belief to believe that Fam-elect, and juftified, and shall be saved.

Contr. Many have been a great scandal or fare to harden the Papifts by affcrting this. But the truth is, it is buta rational conclufion from two premises; the one of which is of Divine Revelation, and the other of inward experience; and all that is capable of being a controverfic to the judicious, is only de nomine, whether logically the conclufion be to be denomi mated from the more dibile of the premises, or from both by participation, as being both an act of Faith, and of Reason, fé cundum quid, and of neither fimpliciter. But it is commonly concluded, that the more debile of the premises must denominate the conclufion And it is certain de re, that the conclufion can be no more certain than it.

Obje. But when the Scripture faith, Ho that believeth shal be faved; it is equipollent to this, El John believe,andiberefere I fhall be faved]

Aufw. A grofs deceit. That believe, is no where in the Scripture: Hit be, doth the Scripture fay, that al men believe, only fouse? If fame, doth it name them, or notife them by any thing but the marks by which they muft find it in them Talves

Obje&.