The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

CHAP. VI. Evangelical Personal Righteousness, the Nature and Use of it. Final Judgment, and its respect unto Justification.

CHAP. VI. Evangelical Personal Righteousness, the Nature and Ʋse of it. Final Judgment, and its respect unto Justification.

The things which we have discoursed concerning the first and second Justification, and concerning the continuation of Justification, have no other Design, but only to clear the principal subject whereof we treat, from what doth not necessarily belong unto it. For until all things that are either ⟨p. 212⟩really heterogeneous or otherwise superfluous, are separated from it, we cannot understand aright the true state of the Question about the nature and causes of our Justification before God. For we intend one only Justification, namely, that whereby God at once freely by his Grace justifieth a convinced sinner through Faith in the Blood of Christ. Whatever else any will be pleased to call Justification, we are not concerned in it, nor are the Consciences of them that believe. To the same purpose we must therefore briefly also consider what is usually disputed about our own personal Righteousness, with a Justification thereon, as also what is called sentential Justification at the day of Judgment. And I shall treat no farther of them in this place, but only as it is necessary to free the principal subject under consideration, from being intermixed with them, as really it is not concerned in them. For what Influence our own personal Righteousness hath into our Justification before God, will be afterwards particularly examined. Here we shall only consider such a notion of it, as seems to interfere with it, and disturb the right understanding of it. But yet I say concerning this also, that it rather belongs unto the Difference that will be among us in the Expression of our conceptions about spiritual things whilst we know but in part, than unto the substance of the Doctrine it self. And on such differences no breach of Charity can ensue, whilst there is a mutual Grant of that liberty of mind, without which it will not be preserved one moment.