The Continuation of ye fication, (hall dye ; Rom. 8.13. He that doth not carefully avoid fal- ling into the Fire or Water, or other things immediately deftruCtive of life natural, cannot live. But thefe are not thethings whereon life doth depend. Nor have the belt of our Duties any other refpeec unto the continuation of our Jufiification , but only as in them we are preferved from thofe things which are contrary unto it, and deftruCtive of it. But the foie Queftion is upon what the continuation of our Jufti- fication doth depend, not concerning what Duties are re- quired of us in the way of our Obedience. If this be that which is intended in this pofition, the continuation of our Juftification depends on our own Obedience and Good Works, or that our own Obedience and Good Works are the Condition of the continuation of our Juftification, namely, that God cloth indifpenfably require Good Works and Obedience in all that are juftified, fo that a juftified eftate is inconfiftent with the neglect of them; it is readily gran- ted, and I (hall never contend with any about the way where- by they chufe to exprefs the conceptions of their minds. But if it be enquired what it is whereby we immediately concur in a way of Duty unto the continuation of our jufti- fied eftate, that is, the pardon of our fins and acceptance with God, we fay it is fuch alone. For the Aft 'hall live by Faith, Rom. I. 17. And as the Apoftle applies this Divine Teftimo- ny to prove our firfl or abflute 7u.flification to be by Faith alone; So doth he alfo apply it unto the continuation of our yu.fh. cation, as that which is by the fame means only, ".Heb. i o. 38, 39. Now the Juf fbai live by Faith : but if any man draw hack, my Soul fh, all have no pleafure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition : But of them that believe, unto the Paving of the Soul. The drawing back to perdition includes the lofs of a juftified Eftate really fo or in Profeffion. In oppofition thereunto the Apoftle placeth Believing unto the faxing of the Soul ; that is, unto the continuation of Ju- ftification
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