The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Fourthly, As unto Works mentioned by both Apostles, the same Works are intended, and there is no disagreement in the least about them. For as the Apostle James intends by Works, Duties of Obedience unto God according to the Law, as is evident from the whole first part of the Chapter, which gives occasion unto the Discourse of Faith and Works; So the same are intended by the Apostle Paul also, as we have proved before. And as unto the necessity of them in all believers, as unto other ends, so as evidences of their Faith and Justification, it is no less pressed by the one than the other as hath been declared.

These things being in general premised, we may observe some things in particular from the Discourse of the Apostle James, sufficiently evidencing that there is no contradiction therein, unto what is delivered by the Apostle Paul concerning our Justification by Faith and the Imputation of Righteousness without Works, nor to the Doctrine which from him we have learned and declared; as (1) He makes no composition or conjunction between Faith and Works in our Justification, but opposeth them the one to the other, asserting the one and rejecting the other in order unto our Justification. (2) He makes no distinction of a first and second Justification, of the beginning and continuation of Justification, but speaks of one Justification only which is our first ⟨p. 573⟩personal Justification before God. Neither are we concerned in any other Justification in this cause whatever. (3) That he ascribes this Justification wholly unto Works in contradistinction unto Faith, as unto that sense of Justification which he intended, and the Faith whereof he treated Wherefore (4) He doth not at all enquire or determine how a sinner is justified before God, but how Professors of the Gospel can prove or demonstrate that they are so, and that they do not deceive themselves by trusting unto a lifeless and barren Faith. All these things will be further evidenced in a brief consideration of the context it self, wherewith I shall close this Discourse.