The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

These and the like Imaginations arise from the unwillingness of men to admit of the Introduction of the mystery of Grace, into our Relation unto God. For suppose us to stand before God on the old constitution of the Covenant of Creation, which alone natural Reason likes and is comprehensive of, and we do acknowledge these things to be inconsistent. But the mystery of the Wisdom and Grace of God in Christ, cannot stand without them both.

So likewise Gods Efficacious Grace in the conversion of sinners, and the exercise of the Faculties of their Minds in a way of Duty are asserted as contradictory and inconsistent. And although they seem both to be positively and frequently declared in the Scripture, yet say these men, their Consistency being repugnant to their Reason, let the Scripture say what it will, yet is it to be said by us, that the Scripture doth ⟨p. 66⟩not assert one of them. And this is from the same cause; men cannot in their Wisdom see it possible that the mystery of Gods Grace should be introduced into our Relation and Obedience unto God. Hence have many Ages of the Church, especially the last of them, been filled with Endless Disputes, in Opposition to the Grace of God, or to accommodate the conceptions of it, unto the Interests of corrupted Reason.

But there is no Instance more pregnant unto this purpose then that under our present consideration. Free Justification through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ, is cried out against as inconsistent with a necessity of personal Holiness and Obedience; and because the Socinians insist principally on this pretence, it shall be fully and diligently considered apart, and that Holiness which without it they and others deriving from them do pretend unto, shall be tried by the unerring Rule.