The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

2. Justification before God is a freedom and absolution from a Charge before God, at least it is contained therein. And the Instrument of this charge must either be the Law or the Gospel. But neither the▪ Law nor the Gospel, do before God, or in the sight of God, charge true Believers with Unbelief, Hypocrisy, or the like. For who shall lay any thing unto the charge of Gods Elect, who are once justified before him? Such a charge may be laid against them by Satan, by the Church sometimes on mistake, by the World, as it was in the case of Job, against which this Righteousness is pleadable. But what is charged immediately before God, is charged by God himself, either by the Law or the Gospel; and the Judgment of God is according unto Truth. If this charge be by the Law, by the Law we must be justified. But the plea of sincere Obedience will not justify us by the Law. That admits of none in satisfaction unto its demands, but that which is complete and perfect. And where the Gospel lays any thing unto the charge of any Persons before God, there can be no Justification before God, unless we shall allow the Gospel to be the Instrument of a false Charge. For what should justify him whom the Gospel condemns? And if it be a Justification by the Gospel from the charge of the Law, it renders the death of Christ of no effect. And a Justification without a Charge, is not to be supposed.

2. Justification before God is a freedom and absolution from a Charge before God, at least it is contained therein. And the Instrument of this charge must either be the Law or the Gospel. But neither the▪ Law nor the Gospel, do before God, or in the sight of God, charge true Believers with Unbelief, Hypocrisie, or the like. For who shall lay any thing unto the charge of Gods Elect, who are once justified before him? Such a charge may be laid against them by Sathan, by the Church sometimes on mistake, by the World, as it was in the case of Job, against which this Righteousness is pleadable. But what is charged immediately before God, is charged by God himself, either by the Law or the Gospel; and the Judgment of God is according unto Truth. If this charge be by the Law, by the Law we must be justified. But the plea of sincere Obedience will not justifie us by the Law. That admits of none in satisfaction unto its demands, but that which is compleat and perfect. And where the Gospel lays any thing unto the charge of any Persons before God, there can be no Justification before God, unless we shall allow the Gospel to be the Instrument of a false Charge. For what should justifie him whom the Gospel condemns? And if it be a Justification by the Gospel from the charge of the Law, it renders the death of Christ of no effect. And a Justification without a Charge, is not to be supposed.