1. He lays it down as the fundamental maxim which he would proceed upon, or as a general Thesis including the substance of what he designed to explain and prove, that, in the Gospel the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith, as it is written the Just shall live by Faith, chap. 1.17. All sorts of men who had any knowledge of God and themselves were then, as they must be always, enquiring, and in one Degree or other labouring after Righteousness. For this they looked on, and that justly, as the only means of an Advantageous Relation between God and themselves. Neither had the Generality of men any other thoughts, but that this Righteousness must be their own, inherent in them, and performed by them, as Rom. 10.3. For as this is the Language of a natural Conscience, and of the Law, and suited unto all Philosophical notions concerning the nature of Righteousness; so whatever Testimony was given of another kind in the Law and the Prophets, (as such a Testimony is given unto a Righteousness of God without the Law, chap. 3.21.) there was a Veil upon it as to the understanding of all sorts of men. As therefore Righteousness is that which all men seek after, and cannot but seek after who design or desire Acceptance with God, so it is in vain to enquire of the Law, of a natural Conscience, of Philosophical Reason, after any Righteousness but what consists in inherent Habits and Acts of our own. Neither Law, nor natural Conscience, nor Reason, do know any other. But in opposition unto this Righteousness of our own, and the necessity thereof, testified ⟨p. 26⟩unto by the Law in its Primitive constitution, by the natural Light of Conscience, and the apprehension of the nature of things by Reason, the Apostle declares, that in the Gospel there is revealed another Righteousness, which is also the Righteousness of another, the Righteousness of God, and that from Faith to Faith. For not only is the Righteousness it self revealed alien from those other Principles, but also the manner of our Participation of it, or its Communication unto us from Faith to Faith, (the Faith of God in the Revelation, and our Faith in the Acceptation of it, being only here concerned) is an eminent Revelation. Righteousness of all things should rather seem to be from Works unto Works, from the Work of Grace in us, to the Works of Obedience done by us, as the Papists affirm.
1. He lays it down as the fundamental maxime which he would proceed upon, or as a general Thesis including the substance of what he designed to explain and prove, that, in the Gospel the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith, as it is written the Just shall live by Faith, chap. 1.17. All sorts of men who had any knowledge of God and themselves were then, as they must be always, enquiring, and in one Degree or other labouring after Righteousness. For this they looked on, and that justly, as the only means of an Advantagious Relation between God and themselves. Neither had the Generality of men any other thoughts, but that this Righteousness must be their own, inherent in them, and performed by them, as Rom. 10.3. For as this is the Language of a natural Conscience, and of the Law, and suited unto all Philosophical notions concerning the nature of Righteousness; so whatever Testimony was given of another kind in the Law and the Prophets, (as such a Testimony is given unto a Righteousness of God without the Law, chap. 3.21.) there was a Veil upon it as to the understanding of all sorts of men. As therefore Righteousness is that which all men seek after, and cannot but seek after who design or desire Acceptance with God, so it is in vain to enquire of the Law, of a natural Conscience, of Philosophical Reason, after any Righteousness but what consists in inherent Habits and Acts of our own. Neither Law, nor natural Conscience, nor Reason, do know any other. But in opposition unto this Righteousness of our own, and the necesssity thereof, testified ⟨p. 26⟩unto by the Law in its Primitive constitution, by the natural Light of Conscience, and the apprehension of the nature of things by Reason, the Apostle declares, that in the Gospel there is revealed another Righteousness, which is also the Righteousness of another, the Righteousness of God, and that from Faith to Faith. For not only is the Righteousness it self revealed aliene from those other Principles, but also the manner of our Participation of it, or its Communication unto us from Faith to Faith, (the Faith of God in the Revelation, and our Faith in the Acceptation of it, being only here concerned) is an eminent Revelation. Righteousness of all things should rather seem to be from Works unto Works, from the Work of Grace in us, to the Works of Obedience done by us, as the Papists affirm.
