The Introduc` ion to the Epiftle to the Romans. glorifie us, or by confenting to his Covenant ofGrace accepting offered Mercy, &c. Faith is aMoral A&, containingmany Phyfical Aas of Underfcanding and Will; like a Covenant- confent to a King, aHusband, aPhyfician, &c. It is all that is effentially required in Baptifm, to theCollationofthe Grace there given. it is Chriftianity iq eonfent. z. This Faith is commanded by God, and Grace and Glory romifed to them that by believingobey thisCommand ; whichmaketh it the Condition, or Moral recep- tive Qualificationfor this Gift. And though God's Grace caufeMen to believe, yet the Command and Conditional Promife arethe Meansby which God worketh this Ef- fect. And that thePromife be Conditional, joyned with threatning to Difobedience, is no more needlefs than the Commandor Preaching is. 3. Hence Menmay cliim Pardon upon believing ; but none canclaimFaith byvet- tue of any abfolute PromifeofGod, before ht have it. . 4. Though no Creaturecan merit ofGod in Commutative yuftice,asgiving hima Be- nefit, yet they may meritofhim as in Governing yuftice, or Diftributive : Butthis is various, as the Governing Law is. According to theLawof Innocency no man meriteth ; norJuftificationaccording to the Law ofMofes ; fave Chrift alone. Chrift's Merit was in the fulfilling the under- taken Mediatorlhip, whichwas fulfilling theLaw of Innocency, (which he only was capable of) and Mofs's Law, and the peculiar Aas of a Mediator : This Merit ofChrift . is the valuable, procuring, meritorious Caufe of all our Deliverance, (Pardon, Juftifi. cation, Adoption, &c.) of which our own Habits or Afs are noParts, nor are at all, to be judged to be inftead ofanypart of theOfficeofChrift. S. But we are not Lamlefr, but under aPardoning andyuffifyin Law, or Covenant of Grace, which giveth Grace and Glory (as is faid) to them that believe and repent; that is, pardoneth them, and giveth them the in-dwelling Spirit ofLove, and rightto Life, if they fincerely truft Chrift's Mediation andPromife for it, and give up them- (elves for that end to God theirreconciled Father, to Chrift as their Saviour, and his Spirit as their Sanfifier. And becaufe God will not give us the free gift of Chrift, and Life with him, but as firft qualified by this Condition of Faith, theta,ire Faith is fold to be imputed to us for Righteoufnefs : that is, ThisAcceptance ofhis free Gift in Chrift, is all that the Lawof Grace, by which we (hall be judged, requi etli of us that we may be ac- counted Righteous, without Innocency, or the Works of Mofes's Law, or any that make not the. gift of Pardon and Life to be offree Grace. TO have Righteoufnefs im- puted, is to be accounted Righteous. 6. To call Faith a yuftifytng Inftrument, is an unapt Speech of Man's vain inventi- on ; but may be tolerated, if they mean but [AMoral receptive Difpofstionj, unfitly called, A receptive Infirument : But not in proper fenfe. 7. But thoughChrift is our Surety, and Vicariuspuna in fome fenfe, and properly a Sacrifice for our Sin, and merited all that we have, by his Righteoufnefs; yet it fubverteth the Gofpel and Chriftianity to teach, as fome do, That Chrift did fo pro- perly perfonate every one of the Elea, that in the fenfe ofGod and the Law (though not Phyfically) they. all perfefly fulfilled the Law of Innocency in and by him and fò are juftified by that Law, as imputatively being finlefs: As if that Law had.faid, [Thou or thy Surety !hall die, if thorn f,n And we are juftified by the fame Law that condemned us; and no Death, or Suffering or permitted Sin were any Penalties on Us : And as if wewereat once reputed finlefs from Birth to Death, and yet mutt have a Chrift to die for our Sin, andmuff daily beg forgivenefsof it. C H A P. I. 3. Concerning his SonJefusChrift our s DAul a fervant of Jefus Chrift, Lord, which was madeof the feed of called to be an Apoftle, fepara- David according to the flefh, 4. And ted unto the Gofpel of God. declared to be the Son of God with I. By an immediate appearance ofChrift from power, according to the fpirit of ho- Heaven, by Voice and infpiration, Pent to pub- linefs, by the refurpedion from the Icfh the glad tidings cf Redemption and Salvation dead by Chrift. 2. (Which he had promifed afore 3. Having his Human Nature from his Mother by his prophets in the holy fcriptures) Qf +PavtBs Line. g, ßat
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