Baxter - BT763 B397 1658

(270:} 2. But the plain truth is i . Remotely, in refpeft of its íiá= turai Aptitude to its office, faith is neceffary becaufe it is a Re- ceivirgAtl, and therefore fitted to afree Gift and an "'tent- ing Ad , and therefore fitted to a fupernatotral Revelation: And hence Divines fay, Itjrftifietb of añ Inflrtsment, calling its Receptive nature, Metaphorically an Injirument : which in this fenfe is true. And Repentance is necefíary, becaufe it is that Return to God, and recoveryof the foul which is the end of Redemption, without which the following ends cannot be attained. The Receptivenature of Faith, and the difpofstive safe of Repentance, may be affiignedas Reafons, why God made them conditions of the Promife : as being their aptitude thereto. 2. But the nearefl reafonof their 1", terafi< andNeceffity, is be. caufe by the free conflitutionof God, they are made condi. tions in that Promife that conferreth Juftificationand Salvati- on, determining that without thefe they (hall not be had,anel that whoever .believer] fhall not perifh, and ifwe repent, our fins Thail be forgiven us. So that this is the formal or neared Reafon of their necellityand intereft, that they are thecon- ditions of the Covenant, fomade by the free Donor, Promi- mifer, Teftator. Now this which in the firfl inflant andcon Tideration is a condition, is in the next in//ant orconfideratíon a trite Evangelical Righteoufrefi, as that Condition is a Tot, in refpe4 to the Precept ; and as it is our Title to the benefit of the Promife, and fo is the Covenant-performance, and as it bath refpea to the fentence of Judgement, where this will be the caufe of the day, Whether this Condition wasperformed or not. It is not the Condition as impofed, but as performed, onwhich we becóme juftified : And therefore as fentential jollificati- on is pail upon the proofof this perfonal Righteoufnefs, which is our performance of the condition, on whichwe have Title toChrift and Pardon,and eternal life ; even foour Juftification in thefenfe of the Law or Covenant, is on fuppoftion of this fame performance of the Condition, as fuch ; which is a cer- tain Righteoufnefs. Ifat the laít Judgement we arefcntentiallp juflified by it as it is quadam jollitia, a Righteoufnefs fubordi- nate to C]rifls Righteoufnefs, ( which is certain, ) then in Low- fenfe weare juflifïableby it on the fame account. For to by

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