11.8ö Of fuÍ1ifying Faith. whom God 3'ufliftes. Now, how does David describe die tsle_/ednefs o, the man whom God 5'uflilies e Thus, Blefed is the Man whole Iniquities are forgiven; and whofe Sins are covered, which is a Metaphorical expreffion of the fame thing, cove- ring of Sin being the pardoning of it. From hence I reafon, if according to the Apoftle thole Propofitions be equivalent, Bleffèd is the Man whole Iniquities are forgiven, and Blef ed is the Man whom God Nfifies, then according to the Apoftle, Justification and Forgiveness of Sins are all one : but thofe Propofitions are equi- valent, if the Apoftle cite the Text out of the Psalms pertinently. 2. That Faithcanin no tolerable propriety of Language be laid to be the Infirm; meat of our Pardon, and confequently not of our Juflificarion. An Inftrument is fomething fubordinate to the principal efficient Caufe, and made use of ir, by it to produce the Effe& ; and this in natural and artificial Caufes may be underftood, but what Notion to have of a moral Inftrument, I confcfs I am at a lofs. But to bring the bufinefs out of the Clouds, we may thus conceive of the Pardon of Sin. God in the Gospel bath entred into a Covenant ofGrace and Mercy with Sinners ; one of the Benefits promifed by God in the Covenant, is pardon of Sin. The Conditions upon which we (hall be made Partakers of the Benefit, are com- prehended in this one Word, Faith, which lignifies the whole of Chriftian Religion, viz. fuch an effe&ual allant to the fievelation of the Gofpel, as Both produce Re- pentance, and sincere Obedience, and a Trutt and Confidence in Chrifi alone for Salvation. The procuring or meritorious Caufe of this Benefit, viz. thePardon of our Sins, is the Death of Chrift, which is called his Blood or Sacrifice. The principal efficient Caufe of our Pardon is God, in the Sentence of the Law, or which is all one, in the tenor of this Covenant, declaring us pardon'd upon thofe Terms and Conditions. Now how can Faith, which is an A& on our parts, and the condition to be performed by us, be Paid to be an Inftrument in the hand of God of our Pardon ; unlefs Men will think fit to call a Condition an Inftrument, which I think no propriety of Language will allow. I should now proceed to the thirdParticular which I propos'd, but shall refer that to my next Difcourfe on this Argument. SERMON CLXXIII Of juftifying Faith. JOHN XX. 31. 'firThird put thefe are written that ye might believe that fefus is the Chrifl, the Son Sermonen Thisrexr. of God, and that believing ye might have life through his Name. THE Obfervation I am difcourfing upon is this, That to believe that jefsis is the Chrifl, the Sonof God, is truly and properly San&ifying, and Juftify- ing, and Saving Faith. I have enter'd upon the latter part of the Obfervation, viz. to fhew that this is truly and properly Juftifying and Saving Faith, in fpeak- ing to which, I propos'd to thew Six things. a. That Juftificatiott in Scripture lignifies no more, but the Pardon andRemif- lion of Sins. 2. That Faith can in no propriety of Language, be faid to be the Inftrument of our Pardon. Thus far I have gone, and now proceed to what remains, viz. to Phew, 3. That the influence which Faith bath upon the Pardon of Sip, is this, that ir is the whole and entire condition, required in the Gofpel, of our Pardon, upon the performance of which God bath promifed to pardon Sin ; which appears thus. All
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