CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Not long since I published The Second Part of the Treatise of Justification, wherein among other particulars, my Work was to prove, That Works, though done by Grace, are not the Condition of our Justification, but that we are justified alone by Faith, as the Means or Instrument receiving of it. These two kinds of Justification (viz. by Faith receiving, or Faith and Works as a Condition,) I conceive to differ specifically one from the other, and that he who is justified the one way cannot be the other. The former way, as the Scripture doth maintain, so generally the Reformed Churches have readily insisted in; The latter way the Remonstrants have vehemently pleaded for, opposing Faiths instrumentality in Justification, with whom Vorstius and Grotius in this, Opinion associate themselves, as also one or two late English Writers, Doctor Hammond, Pract. Catech. lib. •. Sect. 3. Now when I had endeavoured to state the Question in a most candid and fair way between those that deny Works to be a Condition sine quâ non of our Justification, and those who affirm. A Reverend and Learned Brother, judging himself to be concerned in this Opinion likewise, doth complain of the want of candour and truth (Confess. Preface) in my stating of the Question, wherein I rather expected thanks for my ingenuity: For first, I said, All Merit and Efficiency was with great distaste removed from these works of Grace in our Justification: Therefore the Question was, Upon what account these are required in Justified persons, Whether in some Causality or Concurrence, as Faith is, only not with such a Degree of Excellency? Now let any Judicious Reader, that is acquainted with this Controversy decide, wherein any candour or truth may be desired herein: For I say Causality (which is a general word) not Efficiency or Merit. Again, I say, Some Causality, Causalitas quaedam, which is Terminus diminuens; Yea, I added the word Concurrence, which might easily satisfy any, how low I brought the Question; Yea, as if this had not been enough, I propounded it in other terms, Whether good Works be required, as well as Faith? Yet when I had done all this, he complaineth, as if wrong were done.

Not long since I published The Second Part of the Treatise of Justification, wherein among other particulars, my Work was to prove, That Works, though done by Grace, are not the Condition of our Justification, but that we are justified alone by Faith, as the Means or Instrument receiving of it. These two kindes of Justification (viz. by Faith receiving, or Faith and Workes as a Condition,) I conceive to differ specifically one from the other, and that he who is justified the one way cannot be the other. The former way, as the Scripture doth maintain, so generally the Reformed Churches have readily insisted in; The latter way the Remonstrants have vehemently pleaded for, opposing Faiths instrumentality in Justification, with whom Vorstius and Grotius in this, Opinion associate themselves, as also one or two late English Writers, Doctor Hammond, Pract. Catech. lib. . Sect. 3. Now when I had endeavoured to state the Question in a most candid and fair way between those that deny Works to be a Condition sine quâ non of our Justification, and those who affirme. A Reverend and Learned Brother, judging himself to be concerned in this Opinion likewise, doth complain of the want of candor and truth (Confess. Preface) in my stating of the Question, wherein I rather expected thanks for my ingenuity: For first, I said, All Merit and Efficiency was with great distaste removed from these works of Grace in our Justification: Therefore the Question was, Upon what account these are required in Justified persons, Whether in some Causality or Concurrence, as Faith is, onely not with such a Degree of Excellency? Now let any Judicious Reader, that is acquainted with this Controversie decide, wherein any candour or truth may be desired herein: For I say Causality (which is a general word) not Efficiencie or Merit. Againe, I say, Some Causalitie, Causalitas quaedam, which is Terminus diminuens; Yea, I added the word Concurrence, which might easily satisfie any, how low I brought the Question; Yea, as if this had not been enough, I propounded it in other termes, Whether good Workes be required, as well as Faith? Yet when I had done all this, he complaineth, as if wrong were done.