A47599:136
The marrow of true justification, or, Justification without works containing the substance of two…
The marrow of true justification, or, Justification without works containing the substance of two sermons lately preached on Rom. 4:5 ... : wherein the nature of justification is opened, as it hath been formerly asserted by all sound Protestants, and the present prevailing errors against the said doctrine detected / by Benjamin Keach ...
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
2. If all Works were not excluded; then there would still be the same cause or reason to glory, or to boast; be they either Legal or Gospel work•: but since ⟨p. 20⟩all boasting is excluded, all Works are excluded: It signifies nothing what Works they are, if the reason of their Exclusion be but considered; which is to take away all manner of boasting, and to abase the Creature, and wholly to magnify God, and exalt Free Grace.
2. If all Works were not excluded; then there would still be the same cause or reason to glory, or to boast; be they either Legal or Gospel work•: but since ⟨p. 20⟩all boasting is excluded, all Works are excluded: It signifies nothing what Works they are, if the reason of their Exclusion be but considered; which is to take away all manner of boasting, and to abase the Creature, and wholly to magnifie God, and exalt Free Grace.
3. Moreover the like Debt would be due to us; For to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt. What though some of my Works doth not make God a Debtor to me? Yet if any Works in this case are not excluded, God would still become a Debtor to me, which is inconsistent with the Doctrine of Free Grace.
4. If Works going before Justification, are excluded from being any cause thereof; then much more those Works that follow Justification; for Causes (as one well observes) do not use to follow after, but go before their Effects, at least in order of Nature.