The Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, grace, and free justification vindicated against the libertines…

Had the Prefacer read but that one Book, my Confession. written in 1655. and there the explications ⟨image 78⟩of the Controversies, and the many score plain Texts and Arguments, and the hundred Testimonies of Synod, and Protestant Divines, for the Doctrine which I defend; and specially if he have read my Explication of all these Controversies, in my Catholic Theology, and Methodus, and Dispute of Justification, and of Justifying Righteousness; and yet h•d called for an answer to Mr. Cole or Mr. Fowler, I should have told him that he, and such as he, are too hard or deaf for me to answer.

Had the Prefacer read but that one Book, my Confession. written in 1655. and there the explications ⟨image 78⟩of the Co•troversies, and the many score plain Texts and Arguments, and the hundred Testimonies of Synod, and Protestant Divines, for the Doctrine which I defend; and specially if he have read my Explication of all these Controversies, in my Catohlick Theology, and Methodus, and Dispute of Justification, and of Justifying Righteousness; and yet h•d call'd for an answer to Mr. Cole or Mr. Fowler, I should have told him that he, and such as he, are too hard or deaf for me to answer.

But he impertinently citeth other men, that say, we are justified by Free Grace, and the Righteousness of Christ, and not by Works; as if he would falsely intimate that I deny it, when I neither trust to, nor know any Righteousness that is not merely subordinate to the Righteousness of Christ; and take his Righteousness Habun•l, Active and Passive, to be the only and perfect Meritorious Cause of our Justification, and Salvation of Grace and Glory: And I wonder not, that Paul counted his own Righteousness by the •aw to be dung in comparison of being found in Christ, having his Righteousness. But I abhor the opinion, that Christ's Righteousness given us, is all without us, and none within us, when Christ dwelleth in us; as if 600 Texts of Scripture were all false, that speak of the necessity of an inherent and active Righteousness. I abhor the opinion of any works necessary to Justification or Salvation, or to any common Blessings in the sense of Paul; such as make the reward to be of Debt, and not of Grace. I think few men living, are less tempted to magnify or trust to any worth of their own, than I am. I look not for a bit of Bread, or an hours Ease, or Life, or the Pardon, or Acceptance of one Duty, or of my Holiest Affections (so faulty are they by their great Imperfection) but merely from the Free Grace of