C 14 A P. 35. Faith the Condition ofjuflif. continued. cured againft full & final Apoflafie. [serf. to. proveth indeed, that keeping of Chri('s commands, is a mean to keep the fenfe of our beingbeloved of Chrift fresh in our fouls , & CO enjoy the fruites of his Love of Beneficence : but faith nothing òfgood works being the Condition of our Continuance in the ftateof juftification : unlefswe will alfo fay , that Chrift's obedience was the Condition of his Continueing in the State of Juflification, z. goh. 2: 24. &c. proveth , that full & final Apoftahe from the faith &z truth of the Gofpel will indeed cutt of} from all Interefl in Chrift, & from be- nefite by him : But as true beleevets are fecured from this , as verf: 27. clea- reth. So this will only prove , that continuance in Faith , is the Condition of Continuance of Ju(lification. . Mat. x8: 35. Only proveth ( and fo confirmeth what was faid to Mat. 6: z4. ) that fuch as do not from their hearts forgive their brethren their tref- pafl'es, can have no ground of Affurance , that God bath forgiven them theirs.... our Cruelty & Unmercifulnefs towards our Brethren,; may give us fuffieient ground to doubt of our Pardon, whatever feeming afiurance we had formerly.. So that this place fpeaketh nothing of the Condition of our pdon, but of the condition rather of our Senfe , Feeling & grounded Affu- rance of Pardon ; which is a far different thing. Thefe are the Scriptures , whereby he would prove his firflargument. His 2. Arg, is this. Our firil faith having thetruénature ofa Covenanting with Chrifi , dT giving ourfelver to him d r taking him for our Lord d r Redeemer : there - fore it ful'lorver, that ar the Covenant making dT accepting war of necef ity , as the condition of our firft right d5rein iffïon; fò it our Covenant keeping of the Game necef- fty to our continued right. And that God it , as it were , di(òbliged , if we should not keep Covenant. .And the beeping bath more in fit', than the bare making. No Covenant- relations ufually are entered among men, but the Covenant keeping it more than the Making ; and the conditions of their continued right more then of their . firfl right. So it it with a SubjeEl to his Prince , wife to a lmrband, Souldier to it commander , Scholer to his Teacher, Servant to his Mailer ¿5c. Prontifing will give them the fill right , but performing (in the ejfentials) tnu fl continue it it or will cea fe: fa the end of the proms, fe war its performance : And in that refpeftt faith which it the Covenant, is iu feriour to obedience, which is promifed, though in other refpettr it may be fuperiour. Anf. (i) Though Jul ifying Faith bealfoa Covenanting faith, ,and founi teth he foul with Chrift ; Yet in order to Ju(lification , it hats not ( to ufe his words) the true Nature of a Covenanting with Chrift , nor a gi- ving up ourfelves to Him : but rather it is a receiving & rating on Him , and his Righteoufnefs, and a fleeing to his Merites for refuge. (2) Nor doth faith in order to Juftification , (as we cleared above) receive Chrift, or goe to him , as Lord & King , but rather as Prier. (3) Nor'ioth the re- ceiving of Chrift at fial, as King formally include Obedience, or a pro - mile of obedience; as was alto manifefted above. (4) Therefore , from this firft acting of faith in order to ju(tificætion , it can noway follow y.. that Obedience , or Covenant keeping (as lie fpeaketh), .rs the conditiopof, our continued Right, or of our continued ju(tification. (i). WhaeGod hath t
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