340 Row faith is s Condition , boo not. C H A p, z7, they ) íf we confider the matter aright , cannot properly be called an Inlrument of .uni?ification ; nor can the an of beleeving be an Infirumental aEtion ; far lefs can it as an Infirument be oppofed to faith as an anion. Corvin, cont. Talen. Faith car - rieth that refpeEt unto the gift of adoption , that st is an obedience required of God , upon condition of which the gift of adoption is deco. ned unto the firmer for a reward , faith is not a rneane, , or injt rutnent , but a condition , ordained of God for obtain- ing of life. Simon Epifcop. difp. 22, faith , in this matter , cometh to be confidered, not as an infirument apprehending Chrifi's itighteoufncf imputed , but as appre- hending Chrifl3efus, by whom that f(ighteoufìtefr is obtained. It cannot be called properly an inflrument , but a condition prefcribed by, d;" required in the Go fuel -Co venant, without which God will not pardon fin impute Rjghteoufne f Lawyers , as may be feet, in Spigely & Calvinilexsc. lurid tell us of various forts of Conditions ; Some PoJftble, Some impoffible ; Somecertaine, force uncertaine; Some... Voluntarie conditions , fay they , do fufpend the1whole obligation , until! they be performed, Cafual (& alto necefary ) conditions do only prorogue the effe& of the obligation , the obligation itfelf, & its force- is inftantly perfected. A condition thus taken they usually define, Sufpenfio, ctrjusde futuroeffet us , vel confirmátio pendet ; or fi turus eventus pendet: or let adpofita hominum a?tianibus, ear fúfpendenr: or Modus qui fitfpenditatdum, donee ea extfiente con frrmetur or Modus vel caufa que fufpendit:d quod agitur, donec ex po t! fat7o confirmetur. They tell us with -all , that the word Conditio is force time , in the Law taken pro Modo , though in many things , thefe two differ much ; and that it is thefame with ratio, lex, paEtio, paltum, fortuna , flatus, locus jut, caw - fa; fo that it admitteth of various lignifications : and in which of thefe fig nifications here definitly to take ir, the Scripture giveth no determina- tion ; for it is no fcripture exprefiìon , in this matter : And ¡fit be Paid, that the termes Lifed in Scripture , in this matter, fuch as thefe , beleeve ,ethou shalt be faved , to whoen a shall be imputed, if we beleeve , if thou shall beleeve thou shalt be faked, & the like, will fufficiently warrand the ufe of the word Condition ;1 Anfwere, So will the like termes of being juflified by Faith, and through faith 7fíSH,'sx zíssaç, z-iscws, allow us to call faith an Inflrument, which yet our Ad i erfaries , as we have Peen , will not fuffer us to du. But moreover. We do not condemne the ufe of the word Condition, in this af- faire , fimply, but allow it , & alfa make ufe of it : But this however is manifeft , that feing it is no Scripture word we are under no Law to recei- ve the word, in that determinate fenfe , in which the Adverfaries ufe it , & mutft ufe it according to their principles : nor are we to conceive of Faith Repentance & new Obedience, as fuch conditions, as they hold them forth . to be. We know how varioufly the word Condition is ufed , in our ordinary language : & , how force time , that is called a condition , which is the real price , & worth of the thing given upon that condition; as when a man is willing to quirt -his houle , lands or horfe to another, upon condition of fo much money, which is the real price,or a valuable Lonrideration :if we should call Faith & Good Works fuch a condition, the erreur would be worfe than popish,
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