The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

At length this Job is called into the immediate presence of God, to plead his own cause, not now as stated between him and his Friends, whether he were an Hypocrite or no▪ or whether his Faith or Trust in God was sincere, but as it was stated between God and him, wherein he seemed to have made some undue Assumptions on his own behalf. The Question was now reduced unto this; on what Grounds he might or could be justified in the sight of God? To prepare his mind unto a right Judgement in this case, God manifests his Glory unto him, and instructs him in the Greatness of His Majesty and Power. And this he doth by a multiplication of Instances, ⟨p. 13⟩because under our Temptations we are very slow in admitting right conceptions of God. Here the Holy man quickly acknowledged, that the state of the case was utterly altered. All his former pleas of Faith, Hope, and Trust in God, of sincerity in Obedience, which with so much earnestness he before insisted on, are now quite laid aside. He saw well enough that they were not pleadable at the Tribunal before which he now appeared, so that God should enter into Judgment with him thereon, with respect unto his Justification. Wherefore in the deepest self-abasement and abhorrency, he betakes himself unto Sovereign Grace and Mercy. For then Job answered the Lord and said, behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee, I will lay mine hand upon my mouth; once have I spoken, but I will not answer, yea twice, but I will proceed no farther; Job 40.3, 4, 5, And again, Hear I beseech thee and I will speak, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me; I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine Eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes, chap. 42.4, 5, 6. Let any men place themselves in the Condition wherein now Job was, in the immediate presence of God; Let them attend unto what he really speaks unto them in his word, namely, what they will answer unto the Charge that he hath against them, and what will be their best plea before his Tribunal, that they may be Justified. I do not believe that any man living hath more encouraging Grounds to plead for an interest in his own Faith and Obedience in his Justification before God, then Job had; although I suppose he had not so much skill to manage a plea to that purpose with Scholastic notions and distinctions as the Jesuits have.