A Treatise of Justifying Righteousness, Book 2 · Aphorism 110 – Aphorism 111
Aphorism.
ANd when he saith, [That Faith was made Ibid.perfect by Works,] it is not (as they and others interpret it) only a manifesting to be perfect: But as the Habit is perfected in its acts, because they are the end to which it tendeth; and as Marriage is perfected per congressum & procreationem, or any Covenant when the Conditions are performed.
Animadvers.
Piscator and Pemble, and others say, It is: You say, It is not: But their [Tea,] may stand against your [Nay,] for any thing I yet see. Their Exposition is for phrase agreeable to Scripture elsewhere, viz. 2 Cor. 12. 9. and for matter to the Contex….
3. The habit of Faith hath no other immediate and elicit acts (that I know) besides believing; and by believing we are justified, though not as it is our act, but in respect of its Object, Christ, whom Faith apprehendeth, and by whom so apprehended we are justified. Other Works proceed from Faith as the fruits of it, but they perfect Faith no otherwise, than by manifesting the perfection of it; even as the fruit of a tree doth manifest, but not make the tree perfect. Faith (saith Dr. Prest…n) is made perfect by Works; namely, as an Artist is declared skilful by his artificial Work, or a tree by the fruit it bears; the sap is the cause of the Goodness, the fruit the sign.
3. Marriage is a state, which is consummated per congressum, though there never be pro creatio: But what this makes for the illustrating of Faith's being made perfect by Works, I do not see.
4. Faith is not the Covenant, but a Condition of the Covenant, and therefore your last similitude seems not quadrare.
Reply.
1. I magnifie their authority and worth: But whose Reasons have more weight, I leave to others to judge as they see cause.
2. Your self yield before, that it is quoad usum & finem, and not quoad naturam, that Faith is said to be dead; that is, ut medium, non ut fides (still remembring that we speak of Assent:) And why should it not be so in this point of the perfecting of Faith? viz. Works perfect it, ut medium, non ut fides (as before.)
3. To whom was Abraham's Faith manifested to be perfect? Not to men, that saw not his act, or at least, saw not his Faith by it, or would rather condemn him: Not to God, to whom all things are manifest, though by an Anthropopathy he say, Now I know that thou fearest God, &c.
4. To your second I say, 1. That Faith hath more acts than one: Your self before said, Three at least. 2. It's cloudy to say, [Believing justifieth, but not as our act, but in respect of its Object, Christ, &c.] For it is neither: But qua conditio praestita. Why doth not the Object justifie without the Act? Is it because God could not so order it, or because he would not? Doubtless the latter: And therefore the Donor's Will only createth the formal interest of Faith in justifying: As the Holy Ghost giveth the matter. We know Christ is the meritorious Cause: But the Question is, What interest or place Faith hath? Either it is causa vel conditio: For no doubt it is medium Morale, & non tantum naturale (as your words would insinuate:) And I know not what moral Medium it can be else, but either causa vel conditio: I think it is no proper Cause, therefore a Condition. To say, [It justifieth in respect to its Object,] is to speak darkness. Will any respect give it that interest? Hath not Love, Joy, &c. respect to Christ? Have not all Gospel Ordinances respect to him? What respect then is it? Either of a Cause, or a Condition, or somewhat. 3. I have shewed in how many respects Works do perfect Faith, besides manifesting it. Is mere manifesting a saving means? James saith, [Can Faith save him?] Yes, without Manifestation, if that were all: If the very manifesting be not part of the Condition of Salvation. Works perfect Faith ut medium & ut conditio, though not ut fides, vel ut causa operum. Doth fruit no otherwise perfect the tree, than by Manifestation? I am not of your mind in that, I think the tree is perfected, as the totum integrale by the accretion of a noble part, and also as a medium in attaining a chief end.
5. To your third I say, Procreation perfecteth Marriage ut medium perficitur per finem, though not in the essence of Marriage: And so doth Works perfect Faith, though Works be but the nearest end, and not the ultimate. This is the Illustration which you could not see.
6. But my fullest Explication is in the next, where I doubt not is your greatest oversight. Faith is not God's Covenant, but the Condition of it: But Faith is our Covenant it self. Faith and Covenanting is the same thing (as Dr. Preston oft makes it the Marriage-Covenant:) To Consent (after Assent, that is still implied) that Christ as offered in his Offices, and to these uses, shall be mine, and that I will accordingly be his, is justifying Faith, and is the Covenant on our part (as to the heart-Covenant:) And the profession of this Faith (if fully) is nothing but open covenanting. And therefore my similitude doth quadrare: And just as the Marriage-Covenant is perfected by after-Marriage, Faithfulness, Love, Subjection; so is Faith perfected by Works; that is, not in esse conjugii, fidei, unionis initae; but as the medium, that is, the Condition of continuing the interest which Faith alone hath obtained. But then as to the Title, to the great Absolution at Judgment, and to Salvation, Works in our case go beyond Marriage-fidelity in the similitude.
Aphorism.
FAith alone is not the entire perfect Condition Ibid.of the New-Covenant, but Faith with Repentance, and sincere Obedience is.
Animadvers.
In all points (I grant) Faith alone is not the entire Condition of the New-Covenant; but yet it is for so much as concerns Justification, because Faith alone doth apprehend Christ, by whose Righteousness we are justified. It is true, some Repcntance must go before Justification but no Repentance without Faith, will avail to Justification: And for the Reason pre-alledged, Justification is ascribed, not to Repentance; but to Faith only. As for sincere Obedience, it proceeds from Faith, and so follows Justification, and therefore is not a Condition pre-required for the obtaining of it.
Reply.
1. Your first Assertion and its Reason is already denied; and you attempt not the proof of it.
2. What if Repentance will not avail without Faith? may it not therefore avail with it?
3. Remission of sin is ordinarily ascribed to Repentance as the Condition; and therefore your Reason pre-alledged, is no Scripture-Reason, nor sound.
4. Sincere Obedience goes before that Justification which it is the Condition of, though it follow the beginning of Justification.