Confession of His Faith, Chapter 10 · Section 3 · Conclusion 1
THat which I conclude hence, is, that the first and most famous Protestants, did give more in terms, at least, to works then I: for they frequently ascribe merit to them, without adding any restriction, as using the word improperly, or disclaiming the fitness of the term: Though no doubt, they did use it improperly, whether they thought so or not.
COnfess. Wittenberg. in Harm. §. 9. cap. 7. We say that good2. The Wittenberg Confess. Works commanded of God, are necessarily to be done, and that through the free mercy of God, they do deserve (or Merit) certain their own either Corporal or spiritual Rewards.
OUr late Reverend Assembly in the lesser Catechism. Faith in 3 Our late Assembly at Westminster.Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest on Jesus Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel. Confes. cap. 14. §. 2. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the▪ Authority of God himself speaking therein, and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth, yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatnings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith, are Accepting, Receiving and Resting upon Christ alone for Justification, Sanct…fication and Eternal life, by vertue of the Covenant of Grace. Chap. 15. Although Repentance be not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of Gods free Grace in Christ, yet it is of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it. And in both Catechisms having shewed that every sin deserves Gods wrath and curse [Quest. What doth God require of us that we may escape his wrath and Curse due to us for sin? Answ. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of▪ us faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby God communicateth to us the benefits of Redemption.]
That which I conclude hence, is, 1. That saving faith consisteth not in any one single act. 2. That saving faith being the receiving of Christ as offered, must needs be the receiving him as Lord, or King and Prophet: And I shall take Saving-faith, and Justifying-faith, for all one, till I see more proof of the contrary then yet I have done: Especially while I think, that to justifie constitutively in right, is to give right to Impunity and Salvation; and to justifie sententially, is to sentence us to Salvation, and not to Damnation. 3. That Repentance is a means sine qua non to pardon of sin. 4. That Repentance and diligent use of all Gods outward means, &c. are necessary▪ means required of us to our escape of Gods wrath and curse due to us for sin: which is, if I understand it, to obtain pardon of sin: For Dr. Ames saith; Medul. pag. 1. cap. 12. §. 3. The Papists distinction into Remission of the fault, and of the punishment, is a distinction without a difference.
DAvenant (that light of Dort, Cambridge, England) expresseth4. D…venant himself concerning the interest of works in justification in the same phrase and sense (as far as I can understand him) as I do: I therefore recite his words, not as a bare Testimony, but as an Explication of my own meaning, a… fully as I can tell how to explain it. And if any will make a difference, let them on the same grounds set me at odds with my self. For I do hereby subscribe to these words of his as heartily as to any of my own.