The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

2. In the additional prescription of the way and means whereby it is the Will of God, that we shall enter into a Covenant state with him, or be interested in the Benefits of it. This being virtually comprised in the absolute Promise (for every Promise of God doth tacitly require Faith and Obedience in us) is expressed in other places by the way of the Condition required on our part. This is not the Covenant, but the Constitution of the Terms on our part, whereon we are made Partakers of it. Nor is the Constitution of these Terms, an effect of the death of Christ, or procured thereby. It is a mere effect of the Sovereign Grace and Wisdom of God. The things themselves as bestowed on us, communicated unto us, wrought in us by Grace, are all of them effects of the death of Christ; but the Constitution of them to be the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant is an Act of mere Sovereign ⟨p. 271⟩Wisdom and Grace. God so loved the world as to send his only begotten Son to dye, not that Faith and Repentance might be the means of Salvation, but that all his Elect might believe, and that all that believe might not perish, but have Life Everlasting. But yet it is granted that the Constitution of these Terms of the Covenant doth respect the federal Transaction between the Father and the Son, wherein they were ordered to the praise of the Glory of Gods Grace; and so although their constitution was not the procurement of his Death, yet without respect unto it, it had not been. Wherefore the sole cause of Gods making the New Covenant, was the same with that of giving Christ himself to be our Mediator, namely, the Purpose, Counsel, Goodness, Grace and Love of God, as it is every where expressed in the Scripture.

2. In the additional prescription of the way and means whereby it is the Will of God, that we shall enter into a Covenant state with him, or be interessed in the Benefits of it. This being virtually comprized in the absolute Promise (for every Promise of God doth tacitly require Faith and Obedience in us) is expressed in other places by the way of the Condition required on our part. This is not the Covenant, but the Constitution of the Terms on our part, whereon we are made Partakers of it. Nor is the Constitution of these Terms, an effect of the death of Christ, or procured thereby. It is a meer effect of the Soveraign Grace and Wisdom of God. The things themselves as bestowed on us, communicated unto us, wrought in us by Grace, are all of them effects of the death of Christ; but the Constitution of them to be the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant is an Act of meer Soveraign