Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

Obj. But (saith Mr. Blake) though they covenant to believe savingly, yet they do not profess that they do so; and it is not covenanting that proves men in a state of justification and salvation, but keeping the Covenant.

Answ. He that covenanteth from that time forward to take the Lord for his God sincerely, doth by that Covenant at present express that he consenteth to have the Lord for his God, (upon the Covenant terms:) but he that professeth such a Consent, doth eo nomine profess saving faith, which is nothing else but Assent, and that consent producing affiance. There is no act proper to saving faith, if Consent be not. 2. As therefore faith, which is (or is inseparably joined with, as others confess) the hearts consent doth justify a man before he express it in works of actual obedience, so it is but the same thing which we say, that heart-covenanting, or consent, doth justify, or prove a man justified, before he do any further keep that Covenant by any positive effects of it. For it is the performance of the conditions of Gods promise that first prove us justified; and God promiseth Christ and Justification with him to all that believe, or receive Christ, or accept him as offered. And this receiving, or accepting, is the same thing with consent or heart-covenanting. So that all that we oblige our selves to for the future in our sincere covenanting with Christ, are not any means of our Justification as begun, but only of the continuance or not losing of it. 3. Yet still we easily grant that or all covenanting without the hearts consent will save none.

Answ. He that covenanteth from that time forward to take the Lord for his God sincerely, doth by that Covenant at present express that he consenteth to have the Lord for his God, (upon the Covenant terms:) but he that professeth such a Consent, doth eo nomine profess saving faith, which is nothing else but Assent, and that consent producing affiance. There is no act proper to saving faith, if Consent be not. 2. As therefore faith, which is (or is inseparably joyned with, as others confess) the hearts consent doth justifie a man before he express it in works of actual obedience, so it is but the same thing which we say, that heart-covenanting, or consent, doth justifie, or prove a man justified, before he do any further keep that Covenant by any positive effects of it. For it is the performance of the conditions of Gods promise that first prove us justified; and God promiseth Christ and Justification with him to all that believe, or receive Christ, or accept him as offered. And this receiving, or accepting, is the same thing with consent or heart-covenanting. So that all that we oblige our selves to for the future in our sincere covenanting with Christ, are not any means of our Justification as begun, but only of the continuance or not losing of it. 3. Yet still we easily grant that or all covenanting without the hearts consent will save none.