The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

2. The Scripture expressly doth declare this to be the only way of the continuation of our Justification. 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. These things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; ⟨p. 207⟩and he is the Propitiation for our Sins. It is required of those that are justified, that they sin not; it is their duty not to sin; but yet it is not so required of them, as that if in any thing they fail of their Duty they should immediately lose the Privilege of their Justification. Wherefore on a supposition of sin, if any man sin, (as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not) what way is prescribed for such persons to take, what are they to apply themselves unto, that their sin may be pardoned, and their acceptance with God continued; that is, for the continuation of their Justification? The course in this case directed unto by the Apostle, is none other but the Application of our Souls by Faith unto the Lord Christ, as our Advocate with the Father, on the account of the Propitiation that he hath made for our Sins. Under the consideration of this double Act of his Sacerdotal Office, his Oblation and Intercession, he is the Object of our Faith in our absolute Justification, and so he is as unto the continuation of it. So our whole progress in our justified Estate in all the degrees of it is ascribed unto Faith alone.

2. The Scripture expresly doth declare this to be the only way of the continuation of our Justification. 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. These things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; ⟨p. 207⟩and he is the Propitiation for our Sins. It is required of those that are justified, that they sin not; it is their duty not to sin; but yet it is not so required of them, as that if in any thing they fail of their Duty they should immediately lose the Priviledge of their Justification. Wherefore on a supposition of sin, if any man sin, (as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not) what way is prescribed for such persons to take, what are they to apply themselves unto, that their sin may be pardoned, and their acceptance with God continued; that is, for the continuation of their Justification? The course in this case directed unto by the Apostle, is none other but the Application of our Souls by Faith unto the Lord Christ, as our Advocate with the Father, on the account of the Propitiation that he hath made for our Sins. Under the consideration of this double Act of his Sacerdotal Office, his Oblation and Intercession, he is the Object of our Faith in our absolute Justification, and so he is as unto the continuation of it. So our whole progress in our justified Estate in all the degrees of it is ascribed unto Faith alone.