The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. That this Righteousness of Christ should be communicated unto us, and be made ours in such a way and manner, as that he himself might be glorified therein, seeing he hath disposed all things in this whole Economy, unto the praise of the Glory of his Grace, Ephes. 1.6. This was to be done by Faith on our part. It is so, it could be no otherwise. For that Faith whereby we are justified, is our giving unto God the Glory of his Wisdom, Grace and Love. And whatever doth so, is Faith, and nothing else is so.

1. That this Righteousness of Christ should be communicated unto us, and be made ours in such a way and manner, as that he himself might be glorified therein, seeing he hath disposed all things in this whole Oeconomy, unto the praise of the Glory of his Grace, Ephes. 1.6. This was to be done by Faith on our part. It is so, it could be no otherwise. For that Faith whereby we are justified, is our giving unto God the Glory of his Wisdom, Grace and Love. And whatever doth so, is Faith, and nothing else is so.

2. That whereas our nature was so corrupted and depraved, as that continuing in that state, it was not capable of a Participation of the Righteousness of Christ, or any benefit of it, unto the Glory of God, and our own Good, it was in like manner necessary that it should be renewed and changed. And unless it were so, the Design of God in the Mediation ⟨p. 303⟩of Christ, which was the entire Recovery of us unto himself could not be attained. And therefore as Faith, under the formal consideration of it was necessary unto the first end, namely, that of giving Glory unto God, so unto this latter end, it was necessary that this Faith should be accompanied with, yea and contain in it self the seeds of all those other Graces wherein the Divine Nature doth consist, whereof we are to be made Partakers. Not only therefore the thing it self, or the communication of the Righteousness of Christ unto us, but the way and manner, and means of it, do depend on Gods Sovereign order and disposal. Wherefore although Christ did make satisfaction unto the Justice of God for all the sins of the Church, and that as a common person, (for no man in his Wits can deny but that he who is a Mediator and a Surety, is in some sense a common person) and although he did pay all our Debts, yet doth the particular Interest of this or that man, in what he did and suffered, depend on the way, means, and order designed of God unto that end. This and this alone gives the true necessity of all the Duties which are required of us, with their order and their ends.