Tillotson - BX5037 T451 1712 v2

473 Of the Lhrillian Faith, xrhich EToI.1L 1. It is truly Sanaifying. i know that this term of. a San&ífying Faith, is nor mach in ufe among Divines, and therefore it may teem a little more orange; but they might have ufed it if they had pleafed, for it is every whit as proper to ca'l? Faith fanaifjing, as juJlifying or falling. It is true indeed; this exprefs term of a fantlifying Faith is no where in.Scripture ; no more are the very terms of juflifyin. and Paving Faith : but we are Paid to be juflifed and Paved by Faith in Scriptur,, which` isas múch as if the terms had been Med. And we are laid alfo tobe fantli- fled by Faith, as well as juflifted and faved, Acts 15. 9. Our hearts are faid to be purified by Faith. And fo likewife, our vitlory .over the World, that is, our con- quering and fubduing of our Covetous, and Ambitious, and Senfual Luf}s and Delires, are in a peculiar manner afcribed to this Faith which I have defcribed, r john 5. 4, S. This is the vidlory that evercometh the World, even our Faith. Who ,is he that overcometh the World, `but he that believeth that 9efus is the Son ofGod t II. That this FaithsItruly and properly Juftifying, and Saving Faith. I put thefe :uffiftcaticn and Salvation, together, partly becaufe they are-of the fame Confide- ration, as to the influence which Faith hath upon them ; and the latter follows upon the formes ; for if we be juJtifed by Faith, that is, have our Sins- pardoned, by the fame aht of Faith we are Saved from Hell, and confequentlymade capable of Eternal Life ; i fay, by the very fame At} of Faith that we obtain the pardon of our Sins, we are faved from Hell, that is, the Punifhment due to Sin ; for Par- don removes the Guilr, and Guilt is nothing elfebut an Obligation to Punifhment and partly, becaufe I find the Scripture ufeth them promifcuoufly. When St, James difputes about Juflification, by Faith, he ufes the term of being fated by Faith, Jam. z. 14. Can FaithPave him ? Sometimes, of being jufiifted, ver. .24. So ¡bat a Milan is not juffifted by Faith only. In fpeakingw this Propofition, that the Faith of the Gofpel, which I have del- ctibed, is properly Juftifyingand SavingFaith, I filial( do slide Six things. I. Shaw that Juflification in Scripture, lignifies no more than the Pardon and femiffion of Sins. z. That Faith can in no propriety of Language be laid to be the inftrument of our Pardon. 3. That the influence that the Faith of the Gofpel which I havedefcribed, bath upon the Pardonof Sin, is this, that it is the whole and entire condition required on our parts, upon the performance of which God hath promifed to pardon oar Sins, and to fave us. 4. That the Scripture where it treats of Juflification by Faith, fpeaks of this Faith which I have defcribed, and no other. That no Metaphorical Defcriptions of Jufifying Faith are allowable, any farther than as they ferve to illuftrate and make clear the plain and Pimple notion' of the thing. For if Metaphors once come to be infifted on, and Brained, and con. fequcnces come to be drawn from them; and Doctrines founded, and Theories built upon them, they are of very ill confequence, and ferve to no other purpofe but to blind and obfcure the plain and Pmple Notions of things, and to feduce and mil lead the Underfandings of Men, and to multiply Controverfies without end. And I the rather take notice of this abufe of Metaphors upon this fubjett, be- caufe I do not know any other head of Divinity which bath fuffered fo much by them, as the Doctrine of juflifying Faith ; whereby the plain truth hath been very much obfcur'd, and occafion minifter'd to many endlefs Difputes. 6. That if this plain and Pmple Notion of Jufifying Faith were admitted, it would fupetfede all thofe Controverfies about Jufification, which have fo much troubled the Church. Thefe particulars I thall by God's afliflance (peak to, not -out of a mind to oppofe and cotitradid others ; (what a pitiful deign. is that ! and howmuch below one that-is to (peak to Men, in the name -and fear of God!) but out of a hearty defire to bring the truth to light, and to contribute fomething to the clearing of that which is 'of fo great importance and concernment to Chrifiian Religion. a. That Juflificationof a Sinner in Scripture, fignifiesno more than the Pardon of Sin. That there are Several acceptations of the word JuBification in the New TeBa-

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