A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ

Ye are become dead to the Law: dead to the Law! Why? That you should be married to another: Married to another! Why? That you should bring forth fruit unto God. But doth not a man bring forth fruit unto God, that walketh orderly according to the ten Commandments? NO, if he do it before faith in the Spirit of a man, by the dictates of humane nature, respecting the Law, as that, by the obeying of which, he must obtain acceptance with God. This is bringing forth fruit unto himself; for all that he doth, he doth it as a man, as a Creature, from principles natural, and of himself, his own and for none other then himself; and therefore he serveth in an old Spirit, the oldness of the letter, and for himself. But now, (that is, ye• being dead to the Law, and married to Christ) that (the Law) being dead; by which (while in our selves) we were held; Now we are delivered from that law, both as to its curse and impositions; as it stands a Law of works in the heart of the world; we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter, v. 6. A man must first then, be dead to your principles, both of nature, and the Law; if he will serve in a new Spirit, if he would bring forth fruit unto God. Wherefore your description of the principle of holiness ⟨p. 23⟩in man, and also the principles by which this holiness is put forth by him into righteous acts; they are such as are altogether void of the true essentials of inward Gospel-holiness, and righteousness.

But there is one, thing more in this description, or rather effect thereof, which I shall also inquire into: And that is saying, As it was the errand of Christ to effect our deliverance out of that sinful state we had brought our selves into: so to put us again into possession of that holiness which we HAD LOST. page 12. The proof of this position is now your next business: that is, if I understand your learning, the remaining part of your book, which consisteth of well nigh 300 pages, is spent for proof thereof; which I doubt not but effectually to confute with less then 300 lines. Only first by the way, I would have my reader to take notice that in this last Clause. [to put us again into possession of that holiness which we had lost] is the sum of all this large description of his holiness in the foregoing pages: that is, the holiness and righteousness that Mr. Fowler hath been describing; and adds, that Christs whole business when he came into the world was, as to effect our deliverance from sin; so to put us again in possession of that holiness which we had lost. The holiness therefore that here he contendeth for, is that, and only that which was in Adam before the fall, which he lost by transgression; and we by transgressing in him. A little therefore to inquire into this, if perhaps his reader and mine, may come to a right understanding of things.