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116 ON JUSTIFICATION.
appoints unto an especial spiritual end, hath an efficacy or operation in one or other of the ways mentioned ; for they either concur with the principal cause in its internal efficiency, or they operate exter- nally in the removal of obstacles and hindrances that oppose the principal cause in its efficiency. And this excludes all causes " sine quibus non," strictly so taken, from any place among divine ordi- nances. God appoints nothing for an end that shall do nothing. His sacraments are not dpja eriiJjiTa' but, by virtue of his institution, do exhibit that grace which they do not in themselves contain. The 'preaching of the word hath a real efficiency unto all the ends of it. So have all the graces and duties that he worketh in us, and requireth of us: by them all are "we made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light;" and our whole obedience, through his gracious ap- pointment, hath a reivardahle condecency with respect unto eternal life. Wherefore, as faith may be allowed to be the condition of our justification, if no more be intended thereby but that it is what God requires of us that we may be justified ; so, to confine the declaration of its use in our justification unto its being the condition of it, when so much as a determinate signification of it cannot be agreed upon, is subservient only unto the interest of unprofitable strife and con- tention.
To close these discourses concerning faith and its lise in our justi- fication, some things must yet be added concerning its especial OB- JECT. For although what hath been spoken already thereon, in the description of its nature and object in general, be sufficient, in general, to state its especial object also; yet there having been an inquiry con- cerning it, and debate about it, in a peculiar notion, and under some especial terms, that also must be considered. And this is. Whether justifying faith, in our justification, or its use therein, do respect Christ as a king and prophet, as well as a priest, with the satisfac- tion that as such he made for us, and that in the same manner, and unto the same ends and purposes? And I shall be brief in this in- quiry, because it isbutaZaie controversy, and, it may be, hath more of curiosity in its disquisition than of edification in its determination. However, being not, that I know of, under these terms stated in any public confessions of the reformed churches, it is free for any to ex- press their apprehensions concerning it. And to this purpose I say, —
1. Faith, whereby we are justified, in the receiving of Christ, prin- cipally respects his person, for all those ends for which he is the or- dinance of God. It doth not, in the first place, as it is faith in general, respect his person absolutely, seeing its formal object, as such, is the truth of God in the proposition, and not the thing itself proposed. Wherefore, it so respects and receives Christ as pi^oposed in the pro- mise,— the promise itself being the formal object of its assent.
THE ESPECIAL OBJECT OF FAITH. 1 1 7
2. We cannot so receive Christ in the promise, as in that act of receiving him to exclude the consideration of any of his offices; for as he is not at any time to be considered by us but as vested with all his offices, so a distinct conception of the mind to receive Christ as a priest, hut not as a king or prophet, is not faith, but unbelief, — not the receiving, but the rejecting of him.
3. In the receiving of Christ for justification formally, o\u- distinct express design is to be justified thereby, and no more. Now, to be justified is to be freed from the guilt of sin, or to have all our sins pardoned, and to have a righteousness wherewith to appear before God, so as to be accepted with him, and a right to the heavenly inheritance. Every believer hath other designs also, wherein he is equally concerned with this, — as, namely, the renovation of his nature, the sanctification of his person, and ability to live unto God in all holy obedience; but the things before mentioned are all that he aimeth at or designeth in his applications unto Christ, or his receiving of him unto justification. Wherefore, —
4. Justifying faith, in that act or work of it whereby Ave are justi- fied, respecteth Christ in his priestly office alone, as he was the surety of the covenant, with what he did in the discharge thereof. The consideration of his other offices is not excluded, but it is not formally comprised in the object of faith as justifying.
5. When we say that the sacerdotal office of Christ, or the Uood of Christ, or the satisfaction of Christ, is that alone which faith re- spects in justification, we do not exclude, yea, we do really include and comprise, in that assertion, all that depends thereon, or concurs to make them effectual unto our justification. As, — First, The "free grace" and favour of God in giving of Christ for us and unto us, whereby Ave are frequently said to be justified, Rom. iii. 24; Eph. ii. 8 ; Tit. iii. 7. His Avisdom, love, righteousness, and power, are of the same consideration, as hath been declared. Secondly. Whatever in CJnist himself was necessary antecedently unto his discharge of that office, or Avas consequential thereof, or did necessarily accompany it. Such Avas his incarnation, the Avhole course of his obedience, his resurrection, ascension, excdtation, and intercession ; for the consideration of all these things is inseparable from the discharge of his priestly office. And therefore is justification either expressly or virtually assigned unto them also. Gen. iii. 15; 1 John iii. 8; Heb. ii. 14-16; Rom. iv. 25; Acts v. 31; Heb. vii. 27; Rom. viii. 34. But yet, wherever our justification is so assigned unto them, they are not absolutely considered, but Avith respect unto their relation to his sac- rifice and satisfaction. Thirdly. All the means of the application of the sacrifice and righteousness of the Lord Chi'ist unto us are also included therein. Such is the principal efficient cause thereof, Avhich