2. But the plain truth is, 1. Remotely, in respect of its natural Aptitude to its office, faith is necessary because it is a Receiving Act, and therefore fitted to a free Gift, and an Assenting Act, and therefore fitted to a supernatural Revelation: And hence Divines say, It justifieth as an Instrument, calling its Receptive nature, Metaphorically an Instrument: which in this sense is true. And Repentance is necessary, because it is that Return to God, and recovery of the soul which is the end of Redemption, without which the following ends cannot be attained. The Receptive nature of Faith, and the dispositive use of Repentance, may be assigned as Reasons, Why God made them conditions of the Promise: as being their aptitude thereto. 2. But the nearest reason of their Interest and Necessity, is because by the free constitution of God▪ they are made conditions in that Promise that conferreth Justification and Salvation, determining that without these they shall not be had, and that whoever believeth shall not perish, and if we repent, our sins shall be forgiven us. So that this is the formal or nearest Reason of their necessity and interest, that they are the conditions of the Covenant, so made by the free Donor, Promiser, Testator. Now this which in the first instant and consideration is a condition, is in the next instant or consideration, a true Evangelical Righteousness, as that Condition is a Duty in respect to the Precept; and as it is our Title to the benefit of the Promise, and so is the Covenant-performance, and as it hath respect to the sentence of Judgement, where this will be the cause of the day, Whether this Condition was performed or not. It is not the Condition as imposed, but as performed, on which we become justified: And therefore as sentential Justification is past upon the proof of this personal Righteousness, which is our performance of the condition, on which we have Title to Christ and Pardon, and eternal life; even so our Justification in the sense of the Law or Covenant, is on supposition of this same performance of the Condition, as such: which is a certain Righteousness. If at the last Judgement we are sententially justified by it as it is quaedam justitia, a Righteousness subordinate to Christs Righteousness, (which is certain,) then in Law-sense we are justifiable by it on the same account.
2. But the plain truth is, 1. Remotely, in respect of its natural Aptitude to its office, faith is necessary because it is a Receiving Act, and therefore fitted to a free Gift, and an Assenting Act, and therefore fitted to a supernatural Revelation: And hence Divines say, It justifieth as an Instrument, calling its Receptive nature, Metaphorically an Instrument: which in this sense is true. And Repentance is necessary, because it is that Return to God, and recovery of the soul which is the end of Redemption, without which the following ends cannot be attained. The Receptive nature of Faith, and the dispositive use of Repentance, may be assigned as Reasons, Why God made them conditions of the Promise: as being their aptitude thereto. 2. But the nearest reason of their Interest and Necessity, is because by the free constitution of God▪ they are made conditions in that Promise that conferreth Justification and Salvation, determining that without these they shall not be had, and that whoever believeth shall not perish, and if we repent, our sins shall be forgiven us. So that this is the formal or nearest Reason of their necessity and interest, that they are the conditions of the Covenant, so made by the free Donor, Promimiser, Testator. Now this which in the first instant and consideration is a condition, is in the next instant or consideration, a true Evangelical Righteousness, as that Condition is a Duty in respect to the Precept; and as it is our Title to the benefit of the Promise, and so is the Covenant-performance, and as it hath respect to the sentence of Judgement, where this will be the cause of the day, Whether this Condition was performed or not. It is not the Condition as imposed, but as performed, on which we become justified: And therefore as sentential Justification is past upon the proof of this personal Righteousness, which is our performance of the condition, on which we have Title to Christ and Pardon, and eternal life; even so our Justification in the sense of the Law or Covenant, is on supposition of this same performance of the Condition, as such: which is a certain Righteousness. If at the last Judgement we are sententially justified by it as it is quaedam justitia, a Righteousness subordinate to Christs Righteousness, (which is certain,) then in Law-sense we are justifiable by it on the same account.
