The Nature -of Yuf1ifying Faith, a; . jeítum capai Juflifacationis. This hath been .fpoken unto al= ready ; and the neceffity of its precedency unto the orderly propofal and receiving of Evangelical Righteoufnefs unto Juftification, demonflrated. If we lofe a refpeft hereunto, we lofe our bell Guide towards the Difcovery of the Nature of Faith. Let no man think to underfland the Gofpel, who knoweth nothing of the Law. Gods conftítution and the nature of the things themfelves, have given the Law the pre- cedency with refpe& unto finners ; for by the Law is the knowledge of fin. And Gofpel Faith is the Souls aíting accor- ding to the mind of God for deliverance from that Date and condition which it is call under by the Law. And all thof ; Defcriptions of Faith which abound in the Writings of Learned men, which do not at leap include in them a virtual refpe &.unto this Date and condition, or the Work of the Law on the Confciences of finners, are all of them vain fpeculations. There is nothing in this whole Doflrine that I will more firmlyadhere unto, than the neceffity of the ConviCtionsmen- tioned previous unto true Believing, without which not one line of it can be underftood aright, and men do but beat the Air in their contentions, about .it. See Rom. 3. 21, 224 , 231 24. 2. We fuppofe herein a fincere Aleut unto all Divine Reve- lations, whereof the Promifes of Grace and Mercy by Chrift are an efpecial part. This Paul fuppofed in Agrippa when he would have won him. over .unto Faith in Chrift Jefus. King Agrippa believefl thou the Prophets, I know that thou believeft, Ail. 26. 27. And this Afl'ent which refpefts the Promifes of the Gofpel, not as they contain, propofe, and exhibit the Lord Chrift and the Benefits of his Mediation unto us, but as Divine Revelations. of infallible Truth, ,ís true and fincere in its kind, as we defcribéd it before under the notion of Temporary Faith. , Butas it proceeds no farther, as it . in- cludes. no . At . of the Will. or . Heart, it is not that FaiAb when by
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=