A47599:137
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.
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.
5. If Works justify, they must of necessity be good Works; but Works done before Faith, or without Faith, are not good Works; for whatsoever is not done of Faith is Sin, and are dead Works. Neither can the Fruit be good, as our Saviour saith, while the Tree is bad, Every evil Tree bringeth forth evil fruit; But every Man before he is justified is like an evil Tree, and therefore can bring forth no good Fruit, no good Works; wherefore all Works, 'tis evident, before Faith and Justification, are utterly excluded.
5. If Works justifie, they must of necessity be good Works; but Works done before Faith, or without Faith, are not good Works; for whatsoever is not done of Faith is Sin, and are dead Works. Neither can the Fruit be good, as our Saviour saith, while the Tree is bad, Every evil Tree bringeth forth evil fruit; But every Man before he is justified is like an evil Tree, and therefore can bring forth no good Fruit, no good Works; wherefore all Works, 'tis evident, before Faith and Justification, are utterly excluded.