The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. All Faith whatever is an Act of that power of our Souls in general, whereby we are able firmly to assent unto the Truth upon Testimony, in things not evident unto us by Sense or Reason. It is the Evidence of things not seen. And all divine Faith is in general an Assent unto the Truth that is proposed unto us upon divine Testimony. And hereby as it is commonly agreed, it is distinguished from Opinion and moral certainty on the one hand, and Science or Demonstration on the other.

2. Wherefore in Justifying Faith, there is an Assent unto all divine Revelation upon the Testimony of God the Revealer. By no other Act of our mind, wherein this is not included or supposed, can we be justified; not because it is not justifying, but because it is not Faith. This Assent I say is included in Justifying Faith. And therefore we find it often spoken of in the Scripture (the Instances whereof are gathered up by Bellarmin and others) with respect unto other things, and not restrained unto the especial promise of Grace in Christ, which is that which they oppose. But besides, that in most places of that kind, the proper Object of Faith as Justifying is included and referred ultimately unto, though diversly expressed by some of its Causes or concomitant Adjuncts, it is granted that we believe all divine Truth, ⟨p. 108⟩with that very Faith whereby we are justified, so as that other things may well be ascribed unto it.

3. On these Concessions we yet say two things. (1) That the whole nature of Justifying Faith doth not consist merely in an Assent of the mind, be it never so firm and steadfast, nor whatever Effects of Obedience it may produce. (2) That in its Duty and Office in Justification, whence it hath that especial denomination, which alone we are in the Explanation of, it doth not equally respect all divine Revelation as such, but hath a peculiar Object proposed unto it in the Scripture. And whereas both these will be immediately evinced in our description of the proper Object and Nature of Faith, I shall at present oppose some few things unto this Description of them, sufficient to manifest how alien it is from the Truth.