The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Neither can these things be otherwise; neither can any Man living, not the worst of Men, choose but judge himself ⟨p. 383⟩whilst he is in this World, obliged to give Obedience unto the Law of God, according to the notices that he hath of it by the light of nature or otherwise. A wicked servant that is punished for his fault, if it be with such a punishment as yet continues his Being, and his state of servitude is not by his Punishment freed from an Obligation unto Duty, according unto the Rule of it. Yea, his Obligation unto Duty, with respect unto that crime for which he was punished, is not dissolved, until his punishment be capital, and so put an end unto his state. Wherefore seeing that by the pardon of sin, we are freed only from the Obligation unto Punishment, there is moreover required unto our Justification, an Obedience unto what the Law requireth.

Neither can these things be otherwise; neither can any Man living, not the worst of Men, chuse but judge himself ⟨p. 383⟩whilest he is in this World, obliged to give Obedience unto the Law of God, according to the notices that he hath of it by the light of nature or otherwise. A wicked servant that is punished for his fault, if it be with such a punishment as yet continues his Being, and his state of servitude is not by his Punishment freed from an Obligation unto Duty, according unto the Rule of it. Yea, his Obligation unto Duty, with respect unto that crime for which he was punished, is not dissolved, until his punishment be capital, and so put an end unto his state. Wherefore seeing that by the pardon of sin, we are freed only from the Obligation unto Punishment, there is moreover required unto our Justification, an Obedience unto what the Law requireth.

And this greatly strengtheneth the Argument, in whose Vindication we are engaged; for we being sinners, we were obnoxious both unto the Command and Curse of the Law. Both must be answered, or we cannot be justified. And as the Lord Christ could not by his most perfect Obedience, satisfy the Curse of the Law, dying thou shalt die; so by the utmost of his suffering, he could not fulfil the command of the Law, Do this and live. Passion as Passion is not Obedience, though there may be Obedience in suffering, as there was in that of Christ unto the height. Wherefore as we plead that the Death of Christ is imputed unto us for our Justification, so we deny that it is imputed unto us for our Righteousness. For by the Imputation of the Sufferings of Christ, our sins are remitted or pardoned, and we are delivered from the Curse of the Law, which he underwent. But we are not thence esteemed just or righteous, which we cannot be without respect unto the fulfilling of the Commands of the Law, or the Obedience by it required. The whole matter is excellently expressed by Grotius in the words before alledged, Cum duo nobis peperisse Christum dixerimus impunitatem & praemium, illud satisfactioni hoc merito Christi distincte tribuit vetus Ecclesia.