A65285:1047
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Quest. How doth Faith justify?
Quest. How doth Faith justifie?
Resp. Faith doth not justify, 1. As it is a Work that were to make a Christ of our Faith, but Faith justifies as it lays hold of the Object, viz. Christ's Merits. If a Man had a precious Stone in a Ring that could heal, we say the Ring heals, but properly ⟨p. 126⟩it is not the Ring, but the precious Stone in the Ring heals. Thus Faith saves and justifies, but it is not any inherent Virtue in Faith, but as it lays hold on Christ, so it justifies.
Resp. Faith doth not justify, 1. As it is a Work that were to make a Christ of our Faith, but Faith justifies as it lays hold of the Object, viz. Christ's Merits. If a Man had a precious Stone in a Ring that could heal, we say the Ring heals, but properly ⟨p. 126⟩it is not the Ring, but the precious Stone in the Ring heals. Thus Faith saves and justifies, but it is not any inherent Vertue in Faith, but as it lays hold on Christ, so it justifies.
2. Faith doth not justify as it exerciseth Grace: It cannot be denied, Faith doth Invigorate all the Graces, it puts strength and liveliness into them, but it doth not justify under this Notion. Faith works by Love, but it doth not justify as it works by Love, but as it applies Christ's Merits.
2. Faith doth not justify as it exerciseth Grace: It cannot be denied, Faith doth Invigorate all the Graces, it puts strength and liveliness into them, but it doth not justifie under this Notion. Faith works by Love, but it doth not justifie as it works by Love, but as it applys Christ's Merits.