The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

3. The Commanding Power of the Law in positive precepts and prohibitions which Justified Persons are subject unto, doth make and constitute all their inconformities unto it to be no less truly and properly sins in their own nature, than they would be if their persons were obnoxious unto the Curse of it. This they are not, nor can be; for to be obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law, and to be justified, are contradictory; but to be subject to the Commands of the Law, and to be justified are not so. But it is a subjection to the commanding power of the Law, and not an obnoxiousness unto the Curse of the Law, that constitutes the nature of sin in its Transgression. Wherefore that complete Justification which is at once, though it dissolve the Obligation on the sinner unto punishment by the Curse of the Law, yet doth it not annihilate the commanding Authority of the Law, unto them that are justified, that what is sin in others, should not be so in them. See Rom. 8.1.33, 34.

3. The Commanding Power of the Law in positive precepts and prohibitions which Justified Persons are subject unto, doth make and constitute all their inconformities unto it to be no less truly and properly sins in their own nature, than they would be if their persons were obnoxious unto the Curse of it. This they are not, nor can be; for to be obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law, and to be justified, are contradictory; but to be subject to the Commands of the Law, and to be justified are not so. But it is a subjection to the commanding power of the Law, and not an obnoxiousness unto the Curse of the Law, that constitutes the nature of sin in its Transgression. Wherefore that compleat Justification which is at once, though it dissolve the Obligation on the sinner unto punishment by the Curse of the Law, yet doth it not annihilate the commanding Authority of the Law, unto them that are justified, that what is sin in others, should not be so in them. See Rom. 8.1.33, 34.

Hence in the first Justification of believing sinners, all future sins are remitted as unto any actual Obligation unto the Curse of the Law, unless they should fall into such sins as should ipso facto, forfeit their justified estate, and transfer them from the Covenant of Grace, into the Covenant of Works, which we believe that God in his Faithfulness will preserve them from. And although sin cannot be actually pardoned before it be actually committed; yet may the obligation unto the Curse of the Law be virtually taken away from such sins in justified persons as are consistent with a justified estate, or the Terms of the Covenant of Grace, antecedently unto their actual commission. God at once in this