N00347:167
A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to…
A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to the Scriptures. : As it was delivered in several sermons on this subject. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Ten lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by S for Samuel Phillips, 1686
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.
5. Hence, when a Soul is enabled to believe in Christ as he is revealed to us in the promise, Christ now becomes his to all those intents and purposes for which he was exhibited therein. So that when Christ is his, then all of Christs that is communicable is his also in the same Covenant; for Christ and his benefits go together, as being inseparable, and as we cannot have his benefits, except we have his person, so we cannot enjoy him, but we must withal participate in all the precious fruits of his Redemption: the Scripture therefore delights to be frequently setting forth this thing under the name and notion of a Marriage Covenant between a Man and Woman, in which it is known that a propriety in the person, gives a right to the estate: Now own part of Christ Treasure, a tide whereunto ⟨p. 94⟩he conveys to such as do believe in him, and so are married to him man everlasting Covenant, is his Righteousness, 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is of God made unto us, Our Righteousness, All the new Covenant relations of Christ, do passover in this conveyance to the Believer, and he hath an unquestionable claim to them all; he is now our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Surety, our Advocate: and upon this account it is, viz. because in believing we receive Christ unto an efficacious Justification that it is called justifying Faith.
2. It follows to consider how Faith Justifies, or how it serves to our Justification; and this may be easily gathered out of the foregoing Discourse: the nature of justifying Faith, if it be duly pondered, will tell us what influence it hath into the justification of a sinner: but to make it a little more clear and easy, we may make a little more distinct and particular enquiry into it, and consider of it.
2. It follows to consider how Faith Justifies, or how it serves to our Justification; and this may be easily gathered out of the foregoing Discourse: the nature of justifying Faith, if it be duely pondered, will tell us what influence it hath into the justification of a sinner: but to make it a little more clear and easie, we may make a little more distinct and particular enquiry into it, and consider of it.