Paragraph 1. Those whom God
effectually calls, he also freely justifies,1 not by infusing righteousness
into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting
their persons as righteous;2 not for anything wrought in them, or
done
by them, but for Christ's sake alone;3 not by imputing faith itself,
the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their
righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole
law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness
by faith,4 which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift
of God.5
1 Rom. 3:24, 8:30
2 Rom. 4:5-8, Eph.
1:7
3 1 Cor. 1:30,31,
Rom. 5:17-19
4 Phil. 3:8,9; Eph.
2:8-10
5 John 1:12, Rom.
5:17
Paragraph 2. Faith thus receiving
and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of
justification;6 yet is not alone in the person justified, but is
ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but
works by love.7
6 Rom. 3:28
7 Gal.5:6, James
2:17,22,26
Paragraph 3. Christ, by his
obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those who are
justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross,
undergoing in their stead the penalty due to them, make a proper, real,
and full satisfaction to God’s justice in their behalf;8 yet, in
as much as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction
accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them,9
their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice
and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.10
8 Heb. 10:14; 1 Pet.
1:18,19; Isa. 53:5,6
9 Rom. 8:32; 2 Cor.
5:21
10 Rom. 3:26; Eph.
1:6,7, 2:7
Paragraph 4. God did from
all eternity decree to justify all the elect,11 and Christ did in
the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;12
nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit
in time does actually apply Christ to them.13
11 Gal. 3:8, 1 Pet.
1:2, 1 Tim. 2:6
12 Rom. 4:25
13 Col. 1:21,22,
Titus 3:4-7
Paragraph 5. God continues
to forgive the sins of those that are justified,14 and although
they can never fall from the state of justification,15 yet they
may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure;16 and
in that condition they usually do not have the light of his countenance
restored to them, until they humble themselves, beg pardon, and renew
their faith and repentance.17
14 Matt. 6:12, 1
John 1:7,9
15 John 10:28
16 Ps. 89:31-33
17 Ps. 32:5, Ps.
51, Matt. 26:75
Paragraph 6. The justification
of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and
the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.18
18 Gal. 3:9; Rom.
4:22-24