The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

The Person who insists on this plea with God, professeth himself to be his Servant. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant; that is, one that loved him, feared him, yielded all sincere Obedience. He was not an Hypocrite, not an unbeliever, not an unregenerate person, who had performed no Works but such as were legal, such as the Law required, and such as were done in the strength of the Law only; such works as all will acknowledge to be excluded from our Justification; and which as many judge, are only those which are so excluded. David it was, who was not only converted, a true Believer, had the Spirit of God, and the Aids of special Grace in his Obedience, but had this Testimony unto his sincerity, that he was a man after Gods own Heart. And this witness had he in his own Conscience of his Integrity, Uprightness, and personal Righteousness, so as that he frequently avows them, appeals unto God concerning the Truth of them, and pleads them as a Ground of Judgment between him and his Adversaries. We have therefore a case stated in the Instance of a sincere and eminent Believer, who excelled most in inherent personal Righteousness.

This Person under these circumstances, thus testified unto both by God and in his own Conscience, as unto the sincerity, yea as unto the eminency of his Obedience; considers how he may stand before God, and be justified in his sight. Why doth he not now plead his own merits; and that if not ex condigno, yet at least ex congruo, he deserved to be acquitted and justified. But he left this plea for that Generation of men that were to come after, who would justify themselves, and despise others. But suppose he had no such confidence ⟨p. 320⟩in the merit of his Works as some have now attained unto, yet why he doth not freely enter into Judgment with God, put it unto the Trial whether he should be justified or no, by pleading that he had fulfilled the Condition of the New Covenant, that Everlasting Covenant which God made with him, ordered in all things and sure? For upon a supposition of the procurement of that Covenant, and the Terms of it by Christ, (for I suppose the virtue of that Purchase he made of it, is allowed to extend unto the Old Testament) this was all that was required of him? Is it not to be feared that he was one of them who see no necessity, or leave none of Personal Holiness and Righteousness, seeing he makes no mention of it, now it should stand him in the greatest stead? At least he might plead his Faith as his own Duty and Work, to be imputed unto him for Righteousness? But whatever the Reason be, he waves them all, and absolutely deprecates a Trial upon them. Come not, saith he, O Lord, into Judgment with thy Servant, as it is promised that he who believes should not come into Judgment,