The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

3. Now the Enquiry on what account or for what Cause and Reason a man may be so acquitted or discharged of sin, and accepted with God as before declared, doth necessarily issue in this; Whether it be any thing in our selves, as our Faith, and Repentance, the Renovation of our Natures, inherent habits of Grace, and actual works of Righteousness which we have done, or may do; or whether it be the Obedience, Righteousness, Satisfaction and Merit of the Son of God our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant, imputed unto us. One of these it must be, namely, something that is our own, which, whatever may be the Influence of the Grace of God into it, or causality of it, because wrought in and by us, is inherently our own in a proper sense; or something, which being not our own, not inherent in us, not wrought by us, is yet imputed unto us, for the pardon of our sins, and the Acceptation ⟨p. 4⟩of our Persons as righteous; or the making of us Righteous in the sight of God. Neither are these things capable of mixture or composition, Rom. 11.6. Which of these it is the Duty, Wisdom and safety of a convinced sinner to rely upon and trust unto in his Appearance before God, is the sum of our present Enquiry.

3. Now the Enquiry on what account or for what Cause and Reason a man may be so acquitted or discharged of sin, and accepted with God as before declared, doth necessarily issue in this; Whether it be any thing in our selves, as our Faith, and Repentance, the Renovation of our Natures, inherent habits of Grace, and actual works of Righteousness which we have done, or may do; or whether it be the Obedience, Righteousness, Satisfaction and Merit of the Son of God our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant, imputed unto us. One of these it must be, namely, something that is our own, which, whatever may be the Influence of the Grace of God into it, or causality of it, because wrought in and by us, is inherently our own in a proper sense; or something, which being not our own, not inherent in us, not wrought by us, is yet imputed unto us, for the pardon of our sins, and the Acceptation ⟨p. 4⟩of our Persons as righteous; or the making of us Righteous in the sight of God. Neither are these things capable of mixture or composition,