A30137:92
A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ
A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ: showing, true Gospel-holiness flows from thence. Or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity, proved to be nothing more then to trample under foot the blood of the Son of God and the idolizing of man's own righteousness. As also, how while he pretends to be a minister of the Church of England, he overthroweth the wholesome doctrine contained in the 10th. 11th. and 13th. of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same, and that he falleth in with the Quaker, and Romanist, against them. By John Bunyan.A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ: shewing, true Gospel-holiness flows from thence. Or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity, proved to be nothing more then to trample under foot the blood of the Son of God and the idolizing of man's own righteousness. As also, how while he pretends to be a minister of the Church of England, he overthroweth the wholesom doctrine contained in the 10th. 11th. and 13th. of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same, and that he falleth in with the Quaker, and Romanist, against them. By John Bunyan.
London: printed for Francis Smith, 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But I say, these principles thus stated by you, being the principles, and the goodness of this World, and such as have not faith, but the law, not the holy Ghost, but humane nature in them; they cannot be those which you affirm, was or is the design, the great, the only, and ultimate design of Christ, or his Gospel to promote, and propagate in the World; neither with respect to our justification before God from the curse; neither with respect to the workings of his Spirit, and the faith of Jesus in our hearts, the true Gospel or evangelical Holiness.
First, It is not the righteousness that justifieth us before God from the curse; because it is that which is properly our own; and acted and managed by principles of our own, arising originally in the roots of it, from our own. There is the righteousness of Men, and the righteousness of God: that which is the righteousness of Men, is that which we do work from matter and principles of our own; but that which is the righteousness of God, is that which is wrought from matter and principles purely Divine, and of the Nature of God. Again, that which is our own righteousness, is that which is wrought in and by our own persons as Men; but that which is the righteousness of God, is that which is wrought in and by the second person in the Trinity, as God and Man in one person; and that resideth only in that person of the Son. I speak now of the righteousness by which we stand just before God, from the curse of the Law. Now this righteousness of ours, our own righteousness, the Apostle always opposeth to the righteousness of God, saying, They going about to establish their OWN righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. 1Farther, This righteousness of our own, Paul counts loss and dogs-meat, 2in comparison of that other, far more glorious righteousness, which he calleth as it is in truth, the righteousness of God, which as I said but now, resideth in the person of the Son. Therefore saith Paul, I cast away my own righteousness, and do count it loss, and but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. The righteousness therefore, that is our own, that ariseth from matter and principles of our own, (such as that which you have