There is more difficulty in conceiving of the manner how faith concurreth: that there is some eminency in it, is acknowledged both by Papists, who account it a radical grace, having influence on all other graces, and so having special influence on that which they call Justification; and also by some others, who, making works with it to be conditions of the new Covenant, do yet acknowledge a special aptitude in it, for applying of Christs righteousness; and that therefore it is the principal condition, and other things, less principal. In this indeed these of the last opinion, seem to differ from us, 1. That they place Faith, Repentance, and Works in one and the same kind of causality in reference to Justification. 2. That this causality, is but to account them all causes sine quibus non. 3. That all instrumentality is denied to Faith. 4. That Faith is not alone the condition from any respect to its immediate acting on its object Christ, but as other graces are. 5. That Christ is not our immediate Evangelic righteousness, but Faith properly taken, and that as comprehending all other duties and graces under it; and so it is both properly taken, and improperly. 6. That therefore we may▪ be said to be justified by works as by Faith, Faith being taken largely for all. Although where the thing is clear, and Christ is rested on in Justification, and His satisfaction acknowledged (as is in this case) there needeth be no great debate for words and terms of condition, imputation, instrument, &c. yet these being still used among Divines, we conceive there is no just reason to cast them, the use of them having now of a long time made them to pass in this matter, without mistake or strict binding of them to the acceptions wherein they are used in other matters: much less is there reason to cry down the matter expressed by them: And it cannot but be sad, that such new controversies should be moved. We are persuaded, that the reflecting on many worthy men, the obscuring of the trodden path by new Questions and Objections, the confounding of Readers by proposing, as it were, of a different strain of the Covenant, from what formerly hath been preached, the giving of an open door to men to propose new draughts in all things, and that not in expressions only, but also, (as is alleged) in fundamental material ⟨p. 237⟩things, &c.
There is more difficulty in conceiving of the manner how faith concurreth: that there is some eminency in it, is acknowledged both by Papists, who account it a radicall grace, having influence on all other graces, and so having special influence on that which they call Justification; and also by some others, who, making works with it to be conditions of the new Covenant, do yet acknowledge a special aptitude in it, for applying of Christs righteousnesse; and that therefore it is the principal condition, and other things, lesse principal. In this ndeed these of the last opinion, seem to differ from us, 1. That they place Faith, Repentance, and Works in one and the same kind of causality in reference to Justification. 2. That this causality, is but to account them all causes sine quibus non. 3. That all instrumentality is denied to Faith. 4. That Faith is not alone the condition from any respect to its immediate acting on its object Christ, but as other graces are. 5. That Christ is not our immediate Evangelick righteousnesse, but Faith properly taken, and that as comprehending all other duties and graces under it; and so it is both properly taken, and improperly. 6. That therefore we may be said to be justified by works as by Faith, Faith being taken largely for all. Although where the thing is clear, and Christ is rested on in Justification, and His satisfaction acknowledged (as is in this case) there needeth be no great debate for words and terms of condition, imputation, instrument, &c. yet these being still used among Divines, we conceive there is no just reason to cast them, the use of them having now of a long time made them to passe in this matter, without mistake or strict binding of them to the acceptions wherein they are sed in other matters: much lesse is there reason to cry down the matter expressed by them: And it cannot but be sad, that such new controversies should be moved. We are perswaed, that the reflecting on many worthy men, the obscuring of the troden path by new Questions and Objections, the confounding of Readers by proposing, as it were, of a different strain of the Covenant, from what formerly hath been preached, the giving of an open door to men to propose new draughts in all things, and that not in expressions only, but also, (as is alleaged) in fundamentall materiall
