The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. This was the turning point, whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism and betaken themselves unto the Gospel. This therefore was to be secured as the main instance, wherein the greatest controversy that ever was in the world was debated. So he expresseth it, Gal. 2.15.16. We who are Jews by nature and not Sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the Works of the Law. (2.) Hereon there was great opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews in all places and in many of them the minds of multitudes were turned off from the Truth (which the most are generally prone unto in this case) and perverted from the simplicity of the Gospel. This greatly affected his holy Soul, and he takes notice of it in most of his Epistles. (3.) The weight of the Doctrine it self, with that unwillingness ⟨p. 528⟩which is in the minds of men by nature to embrace it, as that which lays the axe to the root of all Spiritual Pride, elation of Mind, and Self-pleasing whatever, whence innumerable Subterfuges have been, and are sought out to avoid the efficacy of it, and to keep the Souls of men from that universal resignation of themselves unto sovereign Grace in Christ, which they have naturally such an aversation unto, did also affect him. (4.) He had himself been a great Sinner in the days of his ignorance by a peculiar opposition unto Christ and the Gospel; This he was deeply sensible of; and therewithal of the excellency of the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ, whereby he was delivered. And men must have some experience of what he felt in himself as unto Sin and Grace, before they can well understand his expressions about them.

1. This was the turning point, whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism and betaken themselves unto the Gospel. This therefore was to be secured as the main instance, wherein the greatest controversie that ever was in the world was debated. So he expresseth it, Gal. 2.15.16. We who are Jews by nature and not Sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the Works of the Law. (2.) Hereon there was great opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews in all places and in many of them the minds of multitudes were turned off from the Truth (which the most are generally prone unto in this case) and perverted from the simplicity of the Gospel. This greatly affected his holy Soul, and he takes notice of it in most of his Epistles. (3.) The weight of the Doctrine it self, with that unwillingness