The counterfeit Christian, or, The danger of hypocrisy opened in two sermons

But it is objected, ¹That we are said to be justified by Faith, and also that Repentance is required as a Condition of Salvation, &c.

1. 1Object.

1. I answer;¹ Some put Faith in the room and place of perfect Obedience to the Law; and that Faith which they speak of they affirm is the sole Act of the Creature: But this certainly is a grand Error, for it would make our Justification to be still by Works, and so destroy the Nature of God's free Grace: for that which is the Creature's Act, is all one with the Creature's Work; 'tis but to change one Work of the Creature to another; from an external Work of the Life, to an internal Work of the Heart. For, as Mr. Cary well observes, 'Tis Christ's perfect Righteousness and Obedience only which is put into the room and place of ours, to justify and save us, and his Sufferings take away the Curse which our Disobedience brought upon us. Faith therefore is only the instrumental Cause of our Justification, 'tis only as an Instrument or Way of our receiving and applying the Righteousness of Christ, if it justifies, as a Condition of the New Covenant, (as Works were required under the Old); and as that act or work enjoined on our part to be done by us as Antecedent to the benefit of the Promise, that would make our Act or Work the formal Cause of our Justification, and so render the Terms of the New-Covenant much of the same Nature with the Old. Faith is not our Righteousness in it self, as a Work, but in relation to Christ the Object of it, or as an Act of receiving and applying his Righteousness and Merits; as Eating nourisheth, though it be the Meat that doth it in this sense.² Him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his Faith is counted for Righteousness. And now whereas the Apostle James speaks of Works justifying, and not Faith only,