I. 1. I will briefly mention what those doctrines are, before I consider the objections against them. Now all I teach respects either the nature and condition of _justification_, the nature and condition of _salvation_, the nature of justifying and saving _faith_, or the _Author_ of faith and salvation. 2. First, The nature of justification. It sometimes means, our acquittal at the last day¹. But this is altogether out of the present question: that justification whereof our articles and homilies speak, meaning present forgiveness, pardon of sins, and consequently acceptance with God: who therein, _declares his righteousness_ or mercy, by or _for the remission of the sins that are past_, saying, _I will be merciful to thy unrighteousness, and thine iniquities I will remember no more_.² ¹ Matthew xii. 37. ² Romans iii. 25. I believe, the condition of this, is faith¹: I mean, not only, that without faith, we cannot be justified; but also, that as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified. ¹ Romans iv. 5. &c. Good works follow this faith¹, but cannot go before it: much less can sanctification, which implies, a continued course of good works, springing from holiness of heart. *But it is allowed, that entire sanctification goes before our justification at the last day.² ¹ Luke vi. 43. ² Hebrews xii. 14. *It is allowed also, that repentance¹ and _fruits meet for repentance_², go before faith. Repentance _absolutely must_ go before faith: fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance, I mean, conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment: and by _fruits meet for repentance_, forgiving our brother³, ceasing from evil⁴, doing good, using the ordinances of God⁵, and in general obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received⁶. But these, I cannot as yet, term _good works_; because they do not spring from faith and the love of God. ¹ Mark i. 15. ² Matthew iii. 8. ³ Matthew vi. 14, 15. ⁴ Luke iii. 4, 9. &c. ⁵ Matthew vii. 7. ⁶ Matthew xxv. 29. 3. By salvation I mean, not barely, according to the vulgar notion, deliverance from hell, or going to heaven: but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health, its original purity; a recovery of the divine nature; the renewal of our souls after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy, and truth. This implies all holy and heavenly tempers, and by consequence all holiness of conversation. Now, if by salvation we mean, a present salvation from sin, we cannot say, holiness is the condition of it. For it is the thing itself. Salvation, in this sense, and holiness are synonymous terms. We must therefore say, _We are saved by faith_. Faith is the sole condition of this salvation. For without faith we cannot be thus saved. But whosoever believeth, is saved already.