The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

yet doth it not so answer the Law, as that any man can be justified by it. But then it will be said, that if it doth not answer that Law and Rule whereby we are to be judged, then it is no Righteousness; for all Righteousness must answer the Law whereby it is required. And I say it is most true, it is no perfect Righteousness; it doth not so answer the Rule and Law, as that we can be justified by it, or safely judged on it. But so far as it doth answer the Law, it is a Righteousness, that is, imperfectly so, and therefore is an imperfect Righteousness; which yet giveth the Denominati- of Righteous unto them that have it, both absolutely and comparatively. It is said therefore, that it is the Law of Grace or the Gospel from whence we are denominated Righteous with this Righteousness. But that we are by the Gospel denominated Righteous from any Righteousness that is not required by the moral Law, will not be proved. Nor doth the Law of Grace or the Gospel any where require of us, or prescribe unto us this Righteousness, as that whereon we are to be justified before God. It requires Faith in Christ Jesus, or the receiving of him as he is proposed in the Promises of ⟨p. 330⟩it, in all that are to be justified. It requires in like manner Repentance from dead works in all that believe; as also the fruits of Faith, Conversion unto God, and Repentance, in the works of Righteousness, which are to the praise of God by Jesus Christ; with perseverance therein unto the end. And all this may, if you please, be called our Evangelical Righteousness, as being our Obedience unto God according to the Gospel. But yet the Graces and Duties wherein it doth consist, do no more perfectly answer the commands of the Gospel, then they do those of the moral Law. For that the Gospel abates from the Holiness of the Law, and makes that to be no sin which is sin by the Law, or approves absolutely of less intension or lower degrees in the Love of God, than the Law doth, is an impious Imagination.

And that the Gospel requires all these things entirely and and equally, as the Condition of our Justification before God, and so antecedently thereunto, is not yet proved, nor ever will be. It is hence concluded, That this is our Righteousness, according unto the Evangelical Law which requires it, by this we are made Righteous, that is, not guilty of the non-performance of the condition required in that Law. And these things are said to be very plain. So no doubt they seemed unto the Author; unto us they are intricate and perplexed. However, I wholly deny that our Faith, Obedience, and Righteousness, considered as ours, as wrought by us, although they are all accepted with God through Jesus Christ according to the Grace declared in the Gospel, do perfectly answer the commands of the Gospel, requiring them of us, as to matter, manner, and degree, and that therefore it is utterly impossible that they should be the cause or condition of our Justification before God. Yet in the Explanation of these things, it is added by the same Author, that our maimed and imperfect Righteousness is accepted unto Salvation, as if it were every way absolute and perfect, for that so it should be, Christ hath merited