259 C H A P. X I X. Of the Life of Juflifiçation , as to its continuance. WHen it is Paid, that the ju f! ahall live by faith , there is a State pointed forth , & a Condition intimated , that is not momenta- ñy , & of short continuance , but fuch a condition , or change offate is hiald forth , as is of a biting Nature; not only becaufe Life Both connote Tome permanency , for a longer , .or foia shorter time ; lout chiefly becaufe this Scriptural axiome faith , efpecially as elfe where applied by the Spirit of the Lord , that the juft , or luf fied man , bath through faith a life, in.the worft of times, & h t he is made partaker of that privilege of life , which shall prove laíting & continueing , to.tthe end ; a life,, that is keept- in, fed lit nourished by Faith. Having fpoken therefore of this life of Ju-. flifiçaalion, as begun ; thatwe may more fully explaine the nature ofit, we mu`t (Peak a little of it alto, as continued.. But firjl, we mutt premit Tome things to spew, what that 'unification is , of the continuance of which we here fpeak,;,, and what we do not hereby underftand , when we fpeak of the continuance of the Life of Juftifica Lion. I. W'e do not (peak here of Juftification ,' which Antiromianr tell us, is from Eternity ; for that can be nothing , but God's eternal Purpofe to' jufti- fie ; and which cannot more be called Juftification, than his eternal purpo- fe to Condemne the Reprobate, & tofave the Elect, can be called condem- nation & Salvation : and we can no morel fay , That there was a Juftifica- tion of any man from Eternity., than that' there was a Condemnation , or Salvation of men from eternity; we muft diftitiguish betwixt God's Purpo- fes , & the EEfeas , which he bath ptirpoféd :. His purpofes are indeed eter- nal: but the Ef efts or Events purpdfed, have their being in time, accord- ing to the Seafon, meane and Methode, when & whereby God hash pur- poled to effectuate them. And fure we are, tbar Jufification , whereof the Scripture fpeaketh , iS a relative change wrought in Man , in time, when, and not before , he laith hold on Chtift by Faith, according to the tenor of the Gofpel. 2. Nor do we meane here, that Juftification , which the fame Amino - rnianr, call only declarative in this life : for the trig Gofpel Jufification is a real Relative Change , whereby'44 beleevergiC. rought out of a State of Wrath and Judgment : where they were lying under the Curfe of the Law ,_ and the fentence thereof , unreconciled to God, and enemies to him , ha- ving their finnes lying upon them, according to the fentence of the Law , & therefore firangers to God's favoure & countenance , and fo without God & without Chrift; & brought into a new State of Peace , Pardon , Recon - ciliation & Friendshipe with God , of which we (poke above Chap. V. We l i cant -
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