clouds; We may thus conceive of the Volume le pardon of sin. God in the Gospel hath XII. entered into a Covenant of Grace and Mercy with Sinners; one of the Benefits promised by God in the Covenant, is pardon of sin. The Conditions upon which we shall be made partakers of the Benefit, are comprehended in this one word, Faith, which signifies the whole of Christian Religion, viz. such an effectual assent to the Revelation of the Gospel, as doth produce Repentance, and sincere Obedience, and a trust and confidence in Christ alone for Salvation. The procuring or meritorious Cause of this Benefit, viz, the pardon of our fins, is the death of Christ, which is called his Blood or Sacrifice. The principal efficient Cause of our pardon is God, in the Sentence of the Law, or which is all one, in the tenor of this Covenant, declaring us pardon'd upon these terms and conditions. Now how can Faith, which is an act on our parts, and the condition to be performed by us, 'be faid to be an Inftrument in the hand of God of our Pardon; unless men will think fit to call a Cono condition an Instrument, which I think will allow Sermon VIII. I should now proceed to the third particular which I propos’d, but shall refer that to my next Discourse on this Argument. Sermon IX. SER MONIX. Of Justifying Faith. : The Third Sermon on this Text. ..JOHN XX. 31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Chrift, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name: T HE Observation I am discourfL ing upon is this, That to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is truly and properly Sanctifying,and Justifying, and Saving Faith. I have enter'd upon the latter part of the Observation, viz. to fhew that mo this is truly and properly Justifying Volume and Saving Faith, in speaking to which, XI. I propos’d to Thew fix things., 1. That Justification in Scripture signifies no more, but the Pardon and Remission of sins. 2. That Faith can in no propriety of Language, be said to be the Inftrument of our pardon. Thus far I have gone, and now proceed to what remains, viz. to Thew, 3. That the influence which Faith hath upon the Pardon of sin, is this, that it is the whole and entire condition, required in the Gospel, of our pardon, upon the performance of which God hath promised to pardon fin; which appears thus. All the conditions the Gospel requires on our part in order to Pardon, may be reduced to these four heads. . (1.) An Afsent to the Truth of the Gospel. (2.) A Trust and Confidence in Christ as our only Saviour, (3.) Re |