Of justification four disputations clearing and amicably defending the truth against the unnecessary oppositions…

We must therefore necessarily distinguish: And first of Works.

First, Sometime the term, Works is taken for that (in general) which makes the Reward to be not of Grace but of Debt: Meritorious works: Or for such as are conceited to be thus meritorious, though they be not. And those are materially, either Works of perfect obedience without sin, (such as Adam had before his fall, and Christ had, and the good Angels have,) or else Works of obedience to the Mosaical Law, which supposed sin, and were used in order to pardon and life, but mistakingly by the blind Unbelievers, as supposing that the dignity of the Law did put such a dignity on their obedience thereto, as that it would serve to life without the satisfaction and merit of Christ, or at least must concur in Co-ordination therewith. Or else lastly, they are Gospel duties, thus conceited meritorious.

Secondly, But sometime the word Works is taken for that which standeth in a due subordination to grace: and that first, most generally, for any moral virtuous Actions, and so even faith it self is comprehended and even the very Receptive or fiducial act of faith: or less generally, for external acts of obedience, as distinct from internal habitual Grace: and so Repentance, Faith, Love, &c. are not Works: or for all acts external and internal, except faith it self. And so Repentance, ⟨p. 71⟩Desire after Christ, Love to him, denying our own Righteousness, distrust in our selves, &c. are called Works. Or else for all Acts external and internal besides the Reception of Christs Righteousness to Justification: And so the belief of the Gospel, the Acceptance of Christ as our Prophet and Lord by the Title of Redemption, with many other acts of faith in Christ, are called works: besides the disclaiming of our own Righteousness, and the rest before mentioned.