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

2. By Profession I mean in the proper sense that which hath something present for its Object or subject professed; and difference it from a Promise which is only of something future For it is a present Assent and consent that is to be professed though withal the object of this professed consent must be both the present and future relation to Christ; viz, that he be our Saviour and we his saved people from this time forth and for ever. So that a certain Promise de futuro (in the strength of grace) may be said to be made, in that a man must profess his consent both de presente et de futuro. But still though it be to a future Relation to Christ as well as a presen•, yet is it ever to a present as well as a future: It is a present consent, that Christ be presently ⟨p. 44⟩my only Saviour, or a present acceptance of him to be presently my only Saviour that I must Profess.

2. By Profession I mean in the proper sense that which hath something present for its Object or subject professed; and difference it from a Promise which is onely of something future For it is a present Assent and consent that is to be professed though withal the object of this professed consent must be both the present and future relation to Christ; viz, that he be our Saviour and we his saved people from this time forth and for ever. So that a certain Promise de futuro (in the strength of grace) may be said to be made, in that a man must profess his consent both de presente et de futuro. But still though it be to a future Relation to Christ as well as a presen•, yet is it ever to a preesent as well as a future: It is a present consent, that Christ be presently ⟨p. 44⟩my only Saviour, or a present acceptance of him to be presently my only Saviour that I must Profess.

Note also that it is not a Profession that this faith of mine is indeed sincere justifying or saving faith, that I speak of: but it is a Profession of such a faith as indeed is justifying: For many a thousand Profess that faith which is justifying, and yet know it not to be justifying while they Profess it, nor know not that they do with a saving sincerity believe. Not one Godly person I think of ten thousand, would deny consent that Christ shall be presently their Saviour, and yet most of them know not that this consent is saving. If you ask them, [Are you heartily willing to have Christ to save you both from the guilt and reign of sin, and to glorify you?] and they will say yea withal their hearts? or at least, [yea, if I know my own heart.] And yet at the same time may doubt whether they be true believers. But as it is the having of saving faith that is necessary to salvation, and not the knowledge that we have it; so a man may Profess that faith which is saving, and yet not Profess that he knows it to be saving: and it is not the latter, but the former that the Minister must expect from people in Baptism.