Of justification four disputations clearing and amicably defending the truth against the unnecessary oppositions…

If it be granted us, that Believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Teacher, is a real part of the Condition of our Justification then is it granted us, that by this believing in him we are justified as by a Condition (which is our sense, and all that we assert) But the former is true: Therefore so is the later.

For the proof of the Antecedent (which is all) First, Try whether you can meet with any Divine that dare deny it, who ⟨p. 14⟩believeth that Faith is the Condition of the Covenant. Secondly, And I am sure their writings do ordinarily confess it. Their Doctrine that oppose us, is, That Faith is both a Condition and an Instrument: but other Acts, as Repentance, &c. may be Conditions, but not Instruments. And those that have waded so far into this Controversy, seem to join these other Acts of Faith with the Conditions, but not with the Instrument. Thirdly, They expressly make it antecedent to our Justification, as of moral necessity, ex constitutione permittentis; and say it is the Fides quae justificat: which is the thing desired, if there be any sense in the words. Fourthly, They cannot deny to Faith in Christ, as Lord and Teacher, that which they commonly give to Repentance, and most of them to many other Acts. But to be a Condition (or part of the Condition) of Justification is commonly by them ascribed to Repentance; therefore they cannot deny it to these acts of faith. So that you see I may fairly here break off, and take the Thesis pro Concessa, as to the sense. Nothing more can be said by them, but against our phrase whether it be proper to say that we are justified By that which is but a bare Condition of our Justification, which if any will deny: First, We shall prove it by the consent of the world, that apply the word [By] to any Medium: And Dr. Twiss that told them (contr. Corvinum) over and over that a condition is a Medium, though it be not a cause; and I think none will deny it. Secondly, by the consent of many Texts of Scripture: But this must be referred to another Disputation, to which it doth belong, viz. about the Instrumentality of faith in justifying us, which, God willing, I intend also to perform.