35 Hots' faith is an InJh'ument. CHAP. 2,8 Faith, than we do, if that terme be taken , in its ftrick fenfe, as it isby. Philofophers taken , who will not have it called a Caufe at all , but rather conditio fine qua non : But thus he deprefl'eth it below that place & intere(t, which is due to all the inftitutions & appointments of God , as fuch ; for none of them can rightly be called conditio fine qua non, and no more in re- ference to that effect & end , for which they are appointed of him ; and far - lefs can Faith be Paid to be only conditio fine qua non , in reference to juttifi- cation , feing by the unalterableappointment of the Soveraigne Lord , ju- ftification fo dependeth upon & is connected with Faith , that who ever be. leeveth (to wit,favingly , or with that Faith , which here we only under- fluid ) whenfoever he beleeveth, doth immediatly paffe from death untolife, and is jultified. But no man will fay , that the effect doth fo much depend upon , or is connected with that , which is but a conditio fine qua non , as was before shewn in feveral Inttances : And where is then his Conditio Potef ati- a ? is that but a cau(a fatua. But ibid. Concluf. 9. he tels us , that one maine reafon , which confirained him to deny that Faith it an Infirument in juflification is becaufe he dare not give fo much of Chrifi's honour to man , or any ad of mans , as to be an efficient caufe of pardoning himfelf. dnf. When we make Faith an Inftrumentin ivaftification, we make it not an In(trument of the aet of pardoning , which is folely the Lords aft; but taking juftification largly as including the Righteoufnefs of Chritt the only ground thereof, we fay ,,that in reference to Chrift, & this Surety Righteoufnefs of his which is imputed, in order to the Lord's jutti- fying & Pardoning of us, faith að as an Inftrument , apprehending Chrift & his Righteoufnefs , & upon that account is to be confidered as an Inftru- ment, in the matter of juttification : And himfelf Conch. i r. ibid. faith that he ever held , that it is only faith , that is the receiving of Chrifi , if that faith being the only receiving grace (wherein nomeer moral duty or grace doth participa- te of its honour or nature) it was therefore by God peculiarly deflinated or appointed to the office ofjufiifying as fittefito the glorying of free grace , ßi5 of Gad Redee- mer therein. And if this be the all (as to the fubttance ) of what we fay, or the tnoft of that which we meane, when wecall faith an Inftrument , what ground was there of differing from his brethren? or what ground was there toeare, that Chrift's honour should have been wronged thereby ? Sure, .I *bile Faith is called an h?ítrument, as receiving Chrift & his Righreoufnefs, in order to juftification , Chrift is more honoured in that affaire , than when our Faith is made our Gofpel- Righteoufnefs, & called a perfect Righteouf- nefs & fo our whole Righteoufnefs (as force) a chiefe part of it (asothers) upon the account of which we are juftified. CHAP..
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