decree or make this for a law, which the Apostle calleth "the law of faith," (Rom. iii. 27,) that faith, or believing in him through Christ, should interest man in the benefit or blessing of the death and bloodshed of Christ, that is, in that remission of sins which was purchased by his death. And in this consideration faith justifieth, namely, by virtue of the sovereign authority of that most gracious decree or law of God, wherein he hath said or decreed, that it shall entitle men unto, or inright them in, part and fellowship of that benefit of the death of Christ which consisteth in forgiveness of sins; or, which comes much to the same, as it is a qualification or condition ordained, covenanted, or appointed by God, to bring upon those in whom it shall be found, the great blessing of that pardon of sin which Christ hath obtained for men by his blood. And because God hath not passed any such decree, nor made any such law concerning good works, as, namely, that these shall bring men into communion of the benefit of remission of sins purchased by the death of Christ, therefore they have nothing to do to justify men in this notion or sense of the word "justification." If by "justification" we mean approbation, commendation, acquitting from blame, or the like, in which sense also the word is frequently used in the Scriptures, (see Job xi. 2; xxxii. 2; xxxiii. 32; Isaiah xliii. 9, 26; xlv. 25; Jer. iii. 11; Ezek. xvi. 51, 52; Luke xvi. 15; xviii. 14; 1 Tim. iii. 16; James ii. 21, 24, 25,) good works are proper and necessary thus to justify us both in the sight of God and men; only with this explication or proviso, namely, that men live to meet with opportunities for the doing of such works, after their true believing. For, otherwise, if the case should so happen, that a true believer should be taken away by death the next moment to that in which he first believed, it is not to be thought but that he should die, not simply with his sins pardoned, but under the approbation of God also. Therefore, good works, in actu exercito, as the schoolmen speak, or actually performed, are not absolutely, universally, or in every case that may possibly happen, necessary, no, not to that justification itself which sympathizeth, as hath been said, in import with approbation, commendation, vindication from blame imputed, or the like. It is true, in actu signato, or as they are radically, seminally, or virtually included in that faith which justifieth by remission of sins, of which more presently, so they are universally, and in all cases possible, if

we speak of persons capable by years and discretion of believing, necessary thereunto. And God, who accepteth the will for the deed, when men want opportunity or means for action, looketh upon those good works which are conceived in the womb of a true and unfeigned faith as actually performed and done, when such a faith wants means, time, or opportunity to bring forth. In this notion our Saviour himself must be understood to speak, at least, in reference unto many of those to whom he speaketh, if he be conceived to speak unto all standing on his right hand, which I judge to be the more rational to suppose: "Come, ye blessed of my Father. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." (Matt. xxv. 34-36.) Doubtless some, yea, a considerable party, of those to whom the Lord Christ will express himself thus in that great day, will be such who had been poor in the days of their flesh, and afflicted, and stood in need of being relieved by their Christian brethren, better accommodated in the world than they, and in whose relief Christ will acknowledge himself relieved. (Verse 40.) Therefore, such as these had not been in a condition or capacity to minister actually unto the wants and necessities of other poor Christians in those respective supplies and accommodations here specified; and yet we find, according to our late supposition, that Christ gives the same testimony unto them for these services of charity which he gives unto those that had actually performed them. His meaning, then, must be, that even these poor distressed saints, who had not wherewith either to clothe the naked or to give entertainment unto strangers, actually, yet had both one and other the same works and services of Christian commiseration and charity here mentioned, in the bowels of the same kind of faith, out of which they actually proceeded from their better world-provided brethren, and were performed by them. But this occasionally here, and by the way, for the better explication of that justification, which the Scripture so constantly, as we have heard, ascribeth unto faith.

2. Concerning that faith unto which the justification mentioned is ascribed, the Scripture describeth it with much variety in respect of its object. Sometimes it calleth it a "believing God;" (Rom. iv. 3; James ii. 23;) sometimes, a "believing

on God;" (John xii. 44;) sometimes, a "believing in God," or, "in the Lord." (Acts xvi. 34; John xiv. 1; Acts ix. 42.) Once it is called, "the faith of the operation of God, who raised Christ from the dead;" (Col. ii. 12;) sometimes, a "believing on Christ," or "on the Son of God," or "on the Lord." (Acts xi. 17; John iii. 18; xii. 37; 1 John v. 10; besides many other places.) Sometimes, again, it is called a "believing in Christ" (John iii. 15;) and so, "in Jesus." (Rom iii. 26; and oft elsewhere.) Otherwhile, it is expressed by "believing Christ," or "the Son;" (John iii. 36;) sometimes, by a believing that Christ is Christ, "the Son of God which should come into the world; " (John xi. 27;) and again, a "believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (Acts viii. 37. See also John viii. 24; xi. 27.) Sometimes it is called a "believing in Christ's name." (John i. 12; ii. 23; iii. 18.) It is very pos sible that yet there may be in the Scriptures a greater variety of denominations or expressions of that faith which justifieth, in reference to its object, than that now represented. But all these that have been mentioned, and I doubt not but those others also, supernumerary unto these, if any such there be, are of an easy and ready reducement into one and the same notion and import. But that distinguishing character, one or more, of the justifying faith, which we are at present inquiring after, respecteth not the object, but the intrinsic nature or complexion, of it. The Scripture, in reference hereunto, sometimes describeth it to be a "believing in the heart;" (Rom. x. 9;) otherwhile, a "believing with the heart;" (Rom. x. 10;) sometimes, again, a "believing with all the heart." (Acts viii. 37.) It is twice called a "faith unfeigned." (1 Tim. i. 5; 2 Tim. i. 5.) The faith of a spurious kind, and which differs in nature, worth, and value from it, is termed, siç vExpα, a dead faith. (James ii. 17, 20, 26.) And, by consequence, the true faith which justifieth must be understood to be a "living faith." But the most appropriate nature of this faith, or the property of it which is most considerable, and which, indeed, upon the matter, includeth all the other now mentioned, and most emphatically differenceth it from all other kinds of faith which want the seal of God to make them justifying, is that declared and asserted by the Apostle Paul, Gal. v. 6, where the Holy Ghost guided his pen to these words: "For in Jesus Christ," that is, in the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and by the tenor and import of the

Gospel, "neither circumcision availeth any thing," namely, towards any man's justification before God, "nor uncircumcision; but faith," d' ayans everyonen, effectually operative, or throughly, working by love. His meaning is, that such a faith in God, which is raised or wrought in a man by means of Jesus Christ, as given by God unto men for a Saviour, and which, withal, is spiritful, lively, and active in provoking the soul in which it resides to the love of God and men, and to ways and works suitable to such an affection, is the only thing or means designed, authorized, and appointed by God to bring men into part and fellowship of that justification or remission of sins which hath been purchased or procured by the death of Jesus Christ for men. A faith of this genius, temper, and complexion, borroweth no aid, help, or assistance from any of her children, I mean, from any of those good works which proceed from her, for or towards that justifying of men with that justification which standeth in remission of sins: She is, by virtue of that authority derived unto her by God, self-sufficient to give this great and happy investiture unto men; yea, should she die before she had opportunity to bring forth, she would do that worthy service to him that had conceived her. It is true, as concerning that justification of which the Apostle James speaks so much in his second chapter, which is a justification of a person testified, declared, published, or made known, the faith we speak of standeth in need of the help and co-operation (as the same Apostle there speaks, verse 22) of her children. God himself will not report any man justified, I mean, any man capable of good works, nor would he have any man, of this capacity, judged or reputed by others a justified person, who hath not justified or commended his faith by such works. But this by the way, to vindicate and clear the interest of faith in the great business of justification, and to sever it from that of works, not more contended for than confounded with it by

some.

To conclude this section: The virtue or power by which faith justifieth, it receiveth from the designation, ordinance, appointment, or decree of God; the manner how it justifieth, is, by the giving of men interest or part in the great benefit of remission of sins purchased by Christ, according to the tenor of God's ordinance or decree in that behalf. They who conceive or teach that faith justifieth as it is an instrument receiving

Christ's righteousness, or Christ himself, unadvisedly stumble at that Popish notion, as it is frequently charged upon men of that persuasion by Protestant writers, which placeth the justifying nature or virtue of faith in somewhat, in some worth that is essential and intrinsic to it. For evident it is, that there is nothing more inward or essential unto faith, than the receiving of Christ, or Christ's righteousness; this being the very nature and substance of it. Whereas the ordinance, will, or decree of God, which investeth faith, or the receiving of Christ, with the great privilege or power of justifying men, is apparently extrinsical and extra-essential to it, and so ministereth no occa sion in the least unto faith to boast of any excellency or considerableness of worth in itself, but resolves that which is of that high and sacred concernment in it unto men, as, namely, to justify and to save them, into the grace and good pleasure of God. But I have given an account of my judgment touching this point somewhat more at large elsewhere. And this at present may serve to clear the interest of faith in or about justification, and to show particularly and distinctly what part it acteth in the investiture of men who have sinned with that blessednesss.

SECTION XII.

HOW, OR IN WHAT RESPECT, REPENTANCE IS OR MAY BE SAID TO JUSTIFY.

12. CONCERNING repentance, that it also is no stranger unto justification or remission of sins, but hath a very material employment or part assigned unto it by God about the instating of sinners therein, is the frequent and distinct voice of the Scriptures : "Repent ye therefore," saith Peter unto the Jews, "and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out," &c. (Acts iii. 19.) It is said of John, that he baptized "in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark i. 4.) I suppose the great and blessed effect here mentioned, justification or remission of sins, is not intended by the Evangelist as the effect of baptism, either only or so much, if at all, but rather of repentance; and that baptism is therefore