Ghap.12. and the Covenant ofGrace. 81 of receiving. This is too fubtile a notion: we ufe to fpeak other - wife of Faith; Faith is the eye of the foul whereby we fee Chrift, and the eye is not fight. Faith is the hand of the foul whereby it receives Chrift, and the hand is not receiving. And Scripture fpeaks otherwife, we receive remiffion of fins by Faith, and an in- heritance among them that are (an51ified is received by Faith, As IS. z6. Why elfe is this righteoufneffe fometimes called the righteoufneffe of Faith, and fometimes the righteoufneffe of God which is by Faith, but that it is a righteoufneffe which Faith re- ceives; Chrift dwells in att by Faith, Ephef. 3. 17. By Faith we take him in and give him entertainment. We receive the promife of the Spirit through Faith, Gal.3. 14. Thefe Scriptures fpeak ofi Faith as the fouls inftrument, to receive Chrift Jefus to receive the Spirit from Chrift Jefus. The inftrumentality of it in the work of juftification is denied, becaufe the nature of an inflrument (as confidered in Phyfical operations) Both not exactly belong to it, which if it mull be aiwayes rigidly followed will often put us to a ftand in the afiignation of caufes of any kinde in Moral acti- ons ; The material and formal caufes in juftification are fcarce agreed upon, and no marvell then, in cafe men minde to contend about it, that force queiion is raifed about the inftrument. But in cafe we íhall confider the nature and kinde of this work, about which Faith is implied, and examine the reafon and ground upon which Faith is difabled from the office of an inftrument in our juftification, and withal! look into that which is brought in as an inftrument in this work in the Read of it ; I do not doubt but it will eafily appear that thofe Divines that with a concurrent judgement (without almoft a diffenting voice have made Faith an inftrument in this work) fpeak molt aptly and molt agreeably to the nature of an inflrument. The work about which Faith is implied., is not an abfolute, but a relative work, a work of God towards man, not without the actuall concurrence of man, fuch in which neither God nor man are foie efficients, nor any ad of God or man can be foie inftruments, but there muft be a mutual concurrence of both; This muft needs be granted, un leite we will bring in Doctor Grips pafíive recipiency of Chrift, Chrifls abode in man without man, in fpight of man, and fuppofe him to be juflified in unbelief; And faith is difablikd from this of- fice in juflification by this argument. If Faith be an inftrument, M it
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