The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. Where the Apostle doth not distinguish or limit what he speaks of, what ground have we to distinguish or limit his Assertions. Not by Works, saith he, sometimes absolutely, sometimes the Works of Righteousness which we have done; that is, not by some sort of Works say those who plead the contrary: But by what warrant? (2.) The Works which they pretend to be excluded, as wherein our own Righteousness that is rejected doth consist, are Works wrought without Faith, without the aid of Grace: But these are not good Works, nor can any be denominated righteous from them, nor is it any Righteousness that consists in them alone. For without Faith it is impossible to please God: And to what purpose should the Apostle exclude evil works and hypocritical, from our Justification? Who ever imagined, that any could be justified with respect unto them. There might have been some pretence for this gloss, had the Apostle said his own Works; but whereas he rejects his own Righteousness, to restrain it unto such Works as are not righteous, as will denominate none righteous, as are no Righteousness at all, is most absurd. (3.) Works wrought in Faith, if applied unto our Justification, do give occasion unto, or include boasting, more then any others, as being better and more praise worthy then they. (4.) The Apostle elsewhere excludes from Justification the Works that Abraham had done when he had been a Believer many years; and the Works of David when he described the Blessedness of a Man by the forgiveness of sins. (5.) The state of the Question which he ⟨p. 536⟩handles in his Epistle unto the Galatians, was expressly about the Works of them that did believe. For he doth not dispute against the Jews, who would not be pressed in the least with his Arguments, namely, that if the inheritance were by the Law, then the promise was of none effect; and if Righteousness were by the Law, then did Christ die in vain: For these things they would readily grant. But he speaks unto them that were Believers, with respect unto those Works which they would have joined with Christ and the Gospel, in order unto Justification. (6.)

1. Where the Apostle doth not distinguish or limit what he speaks of, what ground have we to distinguish or limit his Assertions. Not by Works, saith he, sometimes absolutely, sometimes the Works of Righteousness which we have done; that is, not by some sort of Works say those who plead the contrary: But by what warrant? (2.) The Works which they pretend to be excluded, as wherein our own Righteousness that is rejected doth consist, are Works wrought without Faith, without the aid of Grace: But these are not good Works, nor can any be denominated righteous from them, nor is it any Righteousness that consists in them alone. For without Faith it is impossible to please God: And to what purpose should the Apostle exclude evil works and hypocritical, from our Justification? Who ever imagined, that any could be justified with respect unto them. There might have been some pretence for this gloss, had the Apostle said his own Works; but whereas he rejects his own Righteousness, to restrain it unto such Works as are not righteous, as will denominate none righteous, as are no Righteousness at all, is most absurd. (3.) Works wrought in Faith, if applied unto our Justification, do give occasion unto, or include boasting, more then any others, as being better and more praise worthy then they. (4.) The Apostle elswhere excludes from Justification the Works that Abraham had done when he had been a Believer many years; and the Works of David when he described the Blessedness of a Man by the forgiveness of sins. (5.) The state of the Question which he