A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

but this upright, ⟨p. 118⟩unfeigned obedience is imperfect, the effect of that faith which justifieth,¹ not the cause of Justification. When the Scripture pronounceth them blessed that fear God, keep his Commandments, and walk in the undefiled way, doth it not describe the person whose sins are covered, in which stands his happiness? Our Saviour hath taught us plainly, That except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. ²What righteousness doth he here mean? Inherent, or the righteousness of works: for he presseth an uniform observation of all Gods Commandments. The Scribes and Pharisees did (as it seem) even then calumniate him, •s they did afterward Paul (and the Papists do us still) as a dest•oye• of the Law, because he reproved their confidence in works, and sought to establish the doctrine of faith, which now we teach. Needful in this respect was that cave•t; I think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets: ³I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil them. And in these words, as our Saviour rendereth a reason, why he that breaketh any of those Commandments, which the Scribes and Pharisees counted the least, shall be counted least in the kingdom of Heaven: ⁴so he maketh passage to the exposition of the law in the verses following, where he clears it from the corrupt glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees. And it is to be noted, that he saith,⁵ not, Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Law and Prophets: but except it exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, to wit, that righteousness which they taught and practiced, who made none account of some commandments which they called the least, urged only an external observation of the Law according to the letter without any respect of inward piety, and maimed and mngled the word as pleased themselves. The sentence therefore must be understood of inherent righteousness, whence the necessity of good works is strongly concluded. The faith that justifieth