The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

There is an Harmony, a suitableness of one thing unto another in all the works of Creation. Yet we see that it is not perfectly nor absolutely discoverable unto the wisest and most diligent of men. How far are they from an Agreement about the order and motions of the Heavenly Bodies, of the Sympathies and Qualities of sundry things here below, in the Relation of Causality and Efficiency between one thing and another. The new discoveries made concerning any of them, do only evidence how far men are from a just and perfect comprehension of them. Yet such an universal Harmony there is in all the parts of nature and its operations, that nothing in its proper station and operation is destructively contradictory either to the whole, or any part of it, but every thing contributes unto the preservation and use of the Universe. But although this Harmony be not absolutely comprehensible by any, yet do all living Creatures who follow the conduct or instinct of Nature make use of it, and live upon it, and without it neither their Being could be preserved, nor their Operations continued.

But in the mystery of God and his Grace the Harmony and suitableness of one thing unto another, with their tendency unto the same End, is incomparably more excellent and glorious then that which is seen in nature or the works of it. ⟨p. 63⟩For whereas God made all things at first in Wisdom, yet is the new Creation of all things by Jesus Christ, ascribed peculiarly unto the Riches, Stores, and Treasures of that infinite wisdom. Neither can any discern it unless they are taught of God, for it is only spiritually discerned. But yet is it by the most despised. Some seem to think that there is no great wisdom in it, and some that no great wisdom is required unto the comprehension of it; Few think it worth the while to spend half that time in prayer, in meditation, in the exercise of self denial, Mortification and Holy Obedience, doing the will of Christ that they may know of his word to the attaining of a due comprehension of the mystery of Godliness, as some do of diligence, study, and trial of Experiments, who design to excel in natural or mathematical Sciences. Wherefore there are three things evident herein.