1. How come that is written on justification to be so intricate and obscure? Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself or from the fault or weakness of those who generally wrote about it?
We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the nature of the subject, but partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated. It.
2. We affirm that faith in Christ is the sole condition of justification. But does not repentance go before that faith? Yea, and supposing that there be opportunity for them, fruits or works meet for repentance?
Without a doubt they do.
3. How then can we deny them to be conditions of justification? Is not this a mere strife of words?
It seems not, though it has been grievously abused. But so let the abuse cease; let the use remain.
4. Shall we read over together Mr. Baxter’s aphorisms concerning justification.
By all means.
5. Is an assurance of God’s pardoning absolutely necessary to our being in His favor? Or may there possibly be some exempt cases?
We dare not possibly say there are not.
6. Is such an assurance absolutely necessary to inward and outward holiness?
To inward holiness we apprehend it is; to outward holiness we incline to think not.
7. Is this indispensably necessary to find salvation?
Love hopeth all things. We know not haw far any man may fall under the case of invincible ignorance.
8. But what can we say of one of our society who dies without it, as I. W. at London ?
It may possibly be an exempt case (if the fact was really so). But we determine nothing; we leave his soul in the hands of Him who made it.
9. Does a man believe any longer than he feels reconciled to God?
We conceive not. But we allow there may be infinite degrees.
10. Does a man believe any longer than he loves God.
In no wise. For neither circumcision or uncircumcision avails without faith working by love.
11. Have we duly considered the case of Cornelius? Was he not in the favor of God when his prayer and alms came up for a memorial before God, that is, before he believed in Christ?
It does seem that he was in some degree. But we speak not of those who have heard the gospel.
12. But were those works of his splendid sins?
No, nor were they done without the grace of Christ.
13. How then can we maintain that all works, done before we have a sense of the pardoning mercies of God, are sins? And as such an abomination to Him?
The works of him who has heard the gospel and does not believe are not done as God hath willed or commanded them to be done, and yet we know not how to say that they are an abomination to the Lord in him who feareth God and from that principle does the best he can.
14. Seeing there is so much difficulty on this subject, can we deal too tenderly with them that oppose us?
We cannot unless we were to give up any part of the truth of God.
15. Is a believer constrained to obey God?
At first he often is; the love of Christ constraineth him. After this, he may obey or he may not, no constraint being laid on him.
16. Can faith be lost through disobedience?
It can. A believer first inwardly disobeys, inclines to sin with his heart; then his intercourse with God is cut off, that is, his faith is lost. And after this, he may fall into outward sin, being now weak and like another man.
17. How can such a one recover faith?
By repenting and doing first works. Revelation 2:5
18. Whence is it that so great majority of those who believe fall more or less into doubt or fear?
Chiefly from their own ignorance or unfaithfulness; often from their own not watching unto prayer; perhaps from some defect or want of power of God in the preaching they hear.
19. Is there not a defect in us? Do we preach as we did at first? Have we not changed our doctrines?
At first we preached wholly to unbelievers. To those, therefore, we speak almost continually of remission of sin through the death of Christ and the nature of faith in his blood. And so we do still among those who need to be taught the first elements of the Gospel of Christ. Second. But those in whom the foundation is already laid we exhort to go on to perfection, which we did not see so clearly at first, although we occasionally spoke of it from the beginning. Third. Yet we now preach, and that continually, faith in Christ, as one prophet, priest, and king, at least as clearly, as strongly, and as fully as we did several years.
20. Do some of our preachers preach too much of the wrath and too little of the love of God?
We fear that they have leaned to that extreme, and hence some of their hearers have lost the joy of faith.
21. Need we ever preach the terrors of the Lord to those who know they are accepted of him?
No; it is folly so to do, for love is to them the strongest of all motives.
22. Do we ordinarily represent a justified state so great and happy as it is.
Perhaps not; a believer walking in the light is inexpressibly great and happy.
23. Should we not have a care of depreciating justification in order to exalt the state of full sanctification?
Undoubtedly we should be aware of this, for one may insensibly slide into it.
24. How should we go about it?
When we are going to speak of entire sanctification, let us first describe the blessing of a justified state as strongly as possible.
25. Does not the truth of the gospel lie very near both Calvinism and Antinomianism?
Indeed it does, as it were within a hair’s breadth; so that it is altogether foolish and sinful because we do not altogether agree with one or the other to run from them as far as we can.
26. Wherein may we come to the very verge of Calvinism?
First, in ascribing all good to the free grace of God. Second, in denying all natural free will, and all power antecedent to grace; and third, including all merit from an even for what he has or does by the grace of God.
27. Wherein may we come to the edge of Antinomianism?
First, in exalting the merits and love of Christ. Second, in rejoicing evermore.
28. Does faith superseded (set aside the necessity of) holiness or good works?
In no wise.