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

Next you say, [You know not whence it should be that Angels should judge us righteous, and rejoice therein, but by a sentence passed in Heaven.] Answer. If you think (and prove) that Angels cannot know us to be righteous, then I will not affirm that they judge us so. For I presuppose that that they know us to be so made by some Act before, and therefore they judge us to be as we are. And if they may know that we are Believers, and know that the New Law justifieth all such, then they may judge us to be justified without any sentence in Heaven, even as they know when a sinner is converted, and rejoice in it; which doubtless they may know without a sentence in ⟨p. 340⟩Heaven pronouncing us converted; and Gods making them Instruments in conferring his Mercies may make them know.

You say that [Constitutive Justification, different from Declarative by sentence, I do not find expressed under the term (Justification:) it would be considered, whether any other Act beside the sentence, doth make a man just, but giving of faith.] Answer. These two things I shall prove to convince you: (because this is of some moment.) 1. That some Act there must be to constitute us just, before or besides the sentence. 2. That neither the sentence nor the giving of Faith doth first and properly constitute us Just.

1. If we be not just before we are judged as just, then Gods Judgement should not be according to Truth. But Gods Judgment is according to Truth: therefore we are just before we are so judged. 2. He that hath Christ, and the Benefits of his satisfactory Righteousness given him by the New Law, Covenant, Testament or Grant of Christ, is hereby constituted righteous. But every Believer hath Christ and the said benefits Given him in and by the Law or Covenant: therefore he is thereby made or constituted Righteous.