sins; which is a most essential part of justification; and we find, according to St. Luke", Christ has stated, and we see the same fact stated by St. Peter', that without repentance man must perish, whereby repentance becomes an absolute condition for man to have to obtain salvation: and with respect to baptism, which by some is held to be the first step necessary to a state of justification, and by all Christians an indispensable part of justification: St. Peter says, even baptism doth now save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to St. Matthew', we have Christ's authority, that man will be justified by words; and by St. Paul ", that with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Now seeing that grace, faith, righteousness, repentance, baptism, and words, or confession by the mouth, are all absolutely necessary requisites, ingredients, conditions, or qualifications, as well to obtain justification, as also salvation, there can be no possible means to raise a doubt as to the connection of justification with salvation, and that the latter is consequent to the former as sure as the sparks fly upward.

If any conditions, or acts, are to be done by

h Luke xiii. 3.

1 Matt. xii. 37.

i 2 Pet. iii. 9.

k 1 Pet. iii. 21.

m Rom. x. 10.

:

man to obtain salvation, which are not required in justification; justification would be reduced to a condition, and although it might be indispensable, yet those who are justified would be in a state of uncertainty as to their salvation; and justification would be of no more importance, or estimation, than any other indispensable condition here may be taken the great distinction between the act of God, and the act of man all other conditions respect the man as the actor, and apply to him in that situation, and are to be performed by him; but that is not the case with justification, which is the sole act of God: how can we reconcile the crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, which is stated to be for the justification of man as a mere condition in salvation? Christ "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification ";" and St. Paul has expressly said, those whom God "justified, them he also glorified." From the authorities we have now seen, we must draw this conclusion, that justification is the act of God in absolving, or pardoning man's offences, and making and accepting him as fit, and meet, to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light; and that the sentence of salvation is a

n Rom. iv. 25.

sure, certain, and inevitable consequence without any condition, or act to be done by man between the act of justification, and the sentence of salvation, and from thence arises the close, and inseparable connection of justification and salvation, which cannot be doubted.

1

CHAPTER III.

DEFINITION OF JUSTIFYING FAITH.

Ir being generally admitted by all writers on theology, that justification under the Gospel of Christ, whenever obtained, must be by, or through faith, as an indispensable condition, mean, or instrument, whereby man is to obtain his justification; of course it will be a most desirable object to ascertain from Scripture what true justifying faith is.

The common acceptation of the meaning of the word faith, is the assent of the mind to a proposition upon the authority, or statement of another person, and this faith will be strong, or weak according to the authority: but to have a scriptural definition of faith, we must refer to Scripture.

In the 11th chapter of Hebrews, St. Paul has given us an enlarged exposition of faith but sufficient for our purpose may be collected from the first and sixth verses, the other parts of the

chapter shew the effects of faith rather than its nature and quality.

Heb. xi. 1. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

That is, faith gives us a confident expectation, that all those good things, which are promised in Scripture, and which, by hope, we have a firm reliance, will, through God's merciful goodness, be granted us: and as they cannot at present be seen, faith is the evidence of our minds, that their accomplishment will take place in the manner they have been promised.

Heb. xi. 6. "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.".

By this verse we see, that it is impossible to please God without faith: and what expectation can a sinner have of receiving justification, who does not please him? The verse shews us what that faith must consist of, and that it is an absolute and indispensable condition for man to have, before he can come to God; which must be understood, either to be brought into the way of obtaining justification, or accepted by him: the words of this verse are so plain to this point, it is unnecessary to remark further upon them; but to another point, the following observation may be useful: although faith is an indispensable.