The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. Most of those who rejected the Gospel by their Unbelief, did it under this notion, that the way of Salvation and Blessedness proposed therein, was not a way answering Divine Goodness and Power, such as they might safely Confide in and Trust unto. This the Apostle declares at large, 1 Cor. 1. so he expresseth it, ver. 23, 24. We Preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. ⟨p. 128⟩But unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God. That which they declared unto them in the preaching of the Gospel was, That Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, chap. 15.3. Herein they proposed him as the Ordinance of God, as the great effect of his Wisdom and Power for the Salvation of sinners. But as unto those who continued in their Unbelief, they rejected it as any such way, esteeming it both Weakness and Folly. And therefore he describeth the Faith of them that are called by their Approbation of the Wisdom and Power of God herein. The want of a comprehension of the Glory of God in this way of Salvation, rejecting it thereon, is that Unbelief which ruins the Souls of men, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4.

1. Most of those who rejected the Gospel by their Ʋnbelief, did it under this notion, that the way of Salvation and Blessedness proposed therein, was not a way answering Divine Goodness and Power, such as they might safely Confide in and Trust unto. This the Apostle declares at large, 1 Cor. 1. so he expresseth it, ver. 23, 24. We Preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. ⟨p. 128⟩But unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God. That which they declared unto them in the preaching of the Gospel was, That Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, chap. 15.3. Herein they proposed him as the Ordinance of God, as the great effect of his Wisdom and Power for the Salvation of sinners. But as unto those who continued in their Ʋnbelief, they rejected it as any such way, esteeming it both Weakness and Folly. And therefore he describeth the Faith of them that are called by their Approbation of the Wisdom and Power of God herein. The want of a comprehension of the Glory of God in this way of Salvation, rejecting it thereon, is that Unbelief which ruines the Souls of men,