1st. Let the experience of them that do believe be inquired into; for their consciences are continually exercised herein. What is it that they betake themselves unto, what is it that they plead with God for the continuance of the pardon of their sins, and the accept- ance of their persons before him? Is it any thing but sovereign grace and mercy, through the blood of Christ? Are not all the arguments which they plead unto this end taken from the topics of the name of God, his mercy, grace, faithfulness, tender compassion, covenant, and promises, — all manifested and exercised in and through the Lord Christ and his mediation alone? Do they not herein place their only trust and confidence, for this end, that their sins may be pardoned, and their persons, though every way unworthy in them- selves, be accepted with God ? Doth any other thought enter into their hearts? Do they plead their own righteousness, obedience, and duties to this purpose ? Do they leave the prayer of the publican, and betake themselves unto that of the Pharisee ? And is it not of faith alone ? which is that grace whereby they apply themselves unto the mercy or grace of God through the mediation of Christ. It is true that faith herein worketh and acteth itself in and by godly sorrow, repentance, humiliation, self-judging and abhorrency, fer- vency in prayer and supplications, with an humble waiting for an
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answer of peace from God, with engagements unto renewed obedience : but it is faith alone that makes apphcations unto grace in the blood of Christ for the continuation of our justified estate, expressing itself in those other ways and effects mentioned ; from none of which a believing soul doth expect the mercy aimed at.
^dly. The Scripture expressly doth declare this to be the only way of the continuation of our justification, 1 John ii. 1, 2, " These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins." It is required of those that are justified that they sin not, — it is their duty not to sin; but yet it is not so required of them, as that if in any thing they fail of their duty, they should immediately lose the privilege of their justi- fication. Wherefore, on a supposition of sin, if any man sin (as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not), what way is prescribed for such persons to take, what are they to apply themselves unto that their sin may be pardoned, and their acceptance with God con- tinued ; that is, for the continuation of their justification? The course in this case directed unto by the apostle is none other but the apjilica- tion of our souls by faith unto the Lord Christ, as our advocate with the Father, on the account of the propitiation that he hath made for our sins. Under the consideration of this double act of his sacerdotal office, his oblation and intercession, he is the object of our faith in our absolute justification ; and so he is as unto the continua- tion of it. So our whole progress in our justified estate, in all the degrees of it, is ascribed unto faith alone.
It is no part of our inquiry, what God requireth of them that are justified. There is no grace, no duty, for the substance of them, nor for the manner of their performance, that are required, either by the law or the gospel, but they are obliged unto them. Where they are omitted, we acknowledge that the guilt of sin is contracted, and that attended with such aggTavations as some will not own or allow to be confessed unto God himself Hence, in particular, the faith and grace of believers, [who] do constantly and deeply exercise themselves in godly sorrow, repentance, humiliation for sin, and confession of it be- fore God, upon their apprehensions of its guilt. And these duties are so far necessary unto the continuation of our justification, as that a justified estate cannot consist with the sins and vices that are opposite unto them ; so the apostle affirms that " if we live after the flesh, we shall die," Eom. viii. 13. He that doth not carefully avoid fall- ing into the fu-e or water, or other things immediately destructive of life natural, cannot live. But these are not the things whereon life doth depend. Nor have the best of our duties any other respect imto the continuation of our justification, but only as in them we ai'e
150 ON JUSTIFICATION.
preserved from those things which are contrary unto it, and destmc- tive of it. But the sole question is, upon what the continuation of our justification doth depend, not concerning what duties are required of us in the way of our obedience. If this be that which is intended in this position, that the continuation of our justification depends on our own obedience and good works, or that our own obedience and good works are the condition of the continuation of our justification, — namely, that God doth indispensably require good works and obedi- ence in all that are justified, so that a justified estate is inconsistent with the neglect of them, — it is readily granted, and I shall never con- tend with any about the way whereby they choose to express the con- ceptions of their minds. But if it be inquired what it is whereby we immediately concur in a way of duty unto the continuation of our justified estate, — that is, the pardon of our sins and acceptance with God, — we say it is faith alone; for " The just shall live by faith," Rom. i. 1 7. And as the apostle applies this divine testimony to prove our jir^st or absolute justification to be by faith alone; so doth he also apply it unto the continuation of our justification, as that which is by the same means only, Heb x. 88, 39, " Now the just shall live by faith : but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition ; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." The drawing back to perdition includes the loss of a justified estate, really so or in pro- fession. In opposition thereunto the apostle placeth " believing unto the saving of the soul;" that is, unto the continuation of justification unto the end. And herein it is that the "just live by faith;" and the loss of this life can only be by unbelief: so the " life which Ave now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave himself for us," Gal. ii. 20. The life which we now lead in the flesh is the continuation of our justification, a life of righteousness and acceptation with God ; in opposition unto a life by the works of the law, as the next words declare, verse 21, "I do not frustrate the grace of God ; for if righteousness come by the law, then is Christ dead in vain." And this life is by faith in Christ, as " he loved us, and gave himself for us ; " that is, as he was a propitiation for our sins. This, then, is the only way, means, and cause, on our part, of the preservation of this life, of the continuance of our justification; and herein are we " kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." Again ; if the continuation of our justification dependeth on our own works of obedience, then is the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us only with respect unto our justification at first, or our first justification, as some speak. And this, indeed, is the doc- trine of the Roman school. They teach that the righteousness of Christ is so far imputed unto us, that on the account thereof God