A47599:156
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.
The Law did not only proceed from God, doubtless, as an Act of his Sovereign Will and Prerogative, but as an Act proceeding from his infinite Justice and Holiness. Can any be so left, as once to conclude God sent his Son to destroy the Law, or to diminish, or take away the least part or tittle of that Obedience he therein enjoins, which so well agrees with the Perfections of his own pure Nature; 'tis strange to me any should conceive God should give way to relax or abrogate the Law of perfect Obedience; nay, send his Son to do it (and in its room bring in a Law for imperfect Obedience to justify us) as if he repented he ever gave it.
The Law did not only proceed from God, doubtless, as an Act of his Sovereign Will and Prerogative, but as an Act proceeding from his infinite Justice and Holiness. Can any be so left, as once to conclude God sent his Son to destroy the Law, or to diminish, or take away the least part or tittle of that Obedience he therein injoins, which so well agrees with the Perfections of his own pure Nature; 'tis strange to me any should conceive God should give way to relax or abrogate the Law of perfect Obedience; nay, send his Son to do it (and in its room bring in a Law for imperfect Obedience to justifie us) as if he repented he ever gave it.
For by this means, saith a learned Author, God should lose much Honour in making this second Covenant, and granting such easy Terms; for there is no comparison betwixt perfect Obedience required by the Law, and due to God as our Creator, and that imperfect Obedience, which is accepted by the Gospel, neither in Quantity, Quality nor Duration: Here it is possible a Man may be converted at the last hour and saved, though he have lived in Rebellion against God many years; What little Honour or Service hath God from such a Man? yea, from the best Men, who confess their righteousness to be as filthy rags, in comparison of a sinless Nature and perfect Life, in respect of all Duties, Time, and Place, without mixture of any sinful Imperfections, ⟨p. 24⟩What should be the reason of this alteration? If there had been a Law given, which could have given Life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law,