The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

CHAP. III. The Use of Faith in Justification; Its especial Object farther cleared.

CHAP. III. The Ʋse of Faith in Justification; Its especial Object farther cleared.

The Description before given of Justifying Faith doth sufficiently manifest of what Use it is in Justification. Nor shall I in general add much unto what may be thence observed unto that purpose. But whereas this Use of it hath been expressed with some variety, and several ways of it asserted inconsistent with one another, they must be considered in our passage. And I shall do it with all brevity possible; for these things lead not in any part of the Controversy about the Nature of Justification, but are merely subservient unto other Conceptions concerning it. When Men have fixed their Apprehensions about the principal matters in Controversy, they express what concerneth the Use of Faith in an Accommodation thereunto. Supposing such to be the Nature of Justification as they assert, it must be granted that the Use of Faith therein, must be what they plead for. And if what is peculiar unto any in the substance of the Doctrine be disproved, they cannot deny but that their Notions about the Use of Faith do fall unto the Ground. Thus is it with all who affirm Faith to be either the Instrument, or the Condition, or the Causa sine qua non, or the preparation and disposition of the Subject, or a meritorious cause by way of condecency or congruity, in and of our Justification. For all these notions of the Use of Faith are suited and accommodated unto the Opinions of Men concerning the nature and principal causes of Justification. Neither can any Trial or Determination be made, as unto their Truth and Propriety, ⟨p. 147⟩but upon a previous Judgment concerning those causes, and the whole Nature of Justification it self. Whereas therefore it were vain and endless to plead the principal matter in Controversy upon every thing that occasionally belongs unto it; and so by the Title unto the whole Inheritance on every Cottage that is built on the premises, I shall briefly speak unto these various Conceptions about the Use of Faith in our Justification, rather to find out and give an understanding of what is intended by them, than to argue about their Truth and Propriety, which depends on that wherein the substance of the Controversy doth consist.