5 2 The 2Jfe of Faith in 7i ftificdtaon; 2. 16. So are we Paid by Faith to receive Chri. f%, 7oh. a. 12. Col, 2. 6. The Abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righte- oufof Rom. 5. 17. The word of Promife, Ad. 2. 41. The word of God, A. 8. 14. I The(. i. 6. chap. 2. 13. The Atonement made by the blood of Chrift, Rom. '5. i i. The for - givene f of fins, Ad. i o. 43. chap. 26. 18. The Promife of the f rit, Gal. 3. 14. The Promi fe c, Heb. 9. 15. There is there- fore nothing that concurreth unto our Juftification, but we receive it by Faith. And unbelief is expreffed by not re- ceiving, Joh. a. i r. chap. 3. i i. chap. 12.48. chap. 14. 17. Wherefore the Obje& of Faith in our Juftification, that whereby we are juftified, is tendered, granted and given unto us of God, the ufe of Faith being to lay hold upon it, to re- ceive it, fo as that it may be our own. What we receive of outward things that are fo given unto us, we do it by our hand which therefore is the infirument of that reception, that whereby we apprehend or lay hold of any thing to appro- priate it unto our felves ; and that becaufe this is the pecu- liar Office which by nature it is aligned unto among all the members of the body. Other Z1 fs it hath, and other mem- bers on other Accounts may be as ufeful unto the body as it ; but it alone is the infirument of receiving and apprehending that which being given, is to he made our own and to abide with us. Whereas therefore the Righteoufnefs wherewith we are juftified is the Gift of God, which is tendred unto us in the Promifi of the Gofpel, the Life and Office of Faith being to receive, apprehend, or lay hold of and appropriate this Righteoufnefs, I know not how it can be better expreffed than by an Inftrument, nor by what notion of it more light of underftanding may be conveyed unto our minds. Some may fuppofe other Notions are meet to exprefs it by on other Accounts ; and it may be fo with refpect unto other ufes of it. But the foie prefent Enquiry is, how it (hall be &clared, as that which receiveth Christ, the . Atonement, the Gift of itigh-
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