( 96 ) andbelieve With thyheart, that Godralfedhim from the dead, thorn (halt be faved, &c. and He that believeth jhall belayed , and he that believeth not Jball be damned : In all which, ifthe Conditional if and the conditional form of the Promife exprefs not a Condi- tion, I defpair ofever underftanding it in this life, though it be the foundation and the fumme oftheFaith. Gemini. 27. Yet though no Ethical worth or Aptitude in faith . be the formal Reafon of its intereft in J uftification, it is never- thelefs its immediatly-prerequifite Aptitude for this office andho- nor : And fo far as we may give a reafon ofGods appointments and willfrom any thing without him, in the objeft, we may fay, that therefore God made it the Condition ofthe Covenant, or of his gift ofCbrill and Juftification, becaufe it was the fitteft morall Grace for this work. So that it was fome Ethical or Moral excel- lency or worth in that grace, that caufed God (as we may fpeak) to make it the condition , and fo which is its Aptitude to the of and the remote rea/fon of its intereft in Juftification.; though not the formal and neereft reafon. Conch'''. 28. Yet even here, it was not the meer Morall excel- lency ofthis Graceabfolutely, or in it fell confidered, as a good ad ; or as better in it felf then the Reft : but it was a refpedive excellency or worth, viz. becaufe it is the fitteft to this fpecial ufe and end ; as being in its own nature, the believing a word ofpro- mile ofunfeen felicity, and the accepting ofa free Gift, &c. and fo fitteft for God to defign to this office, feeing its his highde- fign in Redemption, to extoll his love and Free-Grace ; fo that though in reference to meer fandification, fome other Grace might be as good as faith, yet none were foad-Apt-ed for this de- fign. And this I. conceive is it whichDivines call the inftrumen- talky of faith. Conant: 29. Ifany fay, that feeing faith bath a peculiar Apti- tude to this office, therefore it muff have a peculiar Intereft ; I anfiver, fo it hath. For /. It doth alone, without (Merits, or) any pofitive Gofpel-works of obedience (as filch at kali) pro- cure (as far as belongs to its office) our firft full Juftification. 2, The love ofChrift received, Gratitude, &c, are but as modifi- cations offaith, which is called the receiving it fell Though fome of them be diftinft Phyficall ads, yet all the reft Morally confidered, are but as it were the modification of faith, I mean of
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