A53686:77
The Doctrine of Justification by Faith
The doctrine of justification by faith through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, explained, confirmed, & vindicated by John Owen ...
London: printed for R. Boulter, 1677
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Because the Law was given of God immediately as the whole and only Rule of our Obedience unto him, and the works of the Law are therefore all that is required of us, these may be pleaded with some pretence as those whereby we may be justified. Wherefore in particular he considers the Nature, Use, and End of the Law, manifesting its utter insufficiency to be a means of our Justification before God, chap. 3.19, 20.
5. It may be yet objected, That the Law and its works may be thus insufficient as it is obeyed by Unbelievers in the ⟨p. 28⟩state of Nature, without the Aids of Grace administered in the Promise, but with respect unto them who are Regenerate and do believe, whose Faith and Works are accepted with God, it may be otherwise. To obviate this Objection, he giveth an Instance in two of the most eminent Believers under the Old Testament, namely, Abraham and David, declaring that all Works whatever were excluded in and from their Justification, chap. 4.
5. It may be yet objected, That the Law and its works may be thus insufficient as it is obeyed by Ʋnbelievers in the ⟨p. 28⟩state of Nature, without the Aids of Grace administred in the Promise, but with respect unto them who are Regenerate and do believe, whose Faith and Works are accepted with God, it may be otherwise. To obviate this Objection, he giveth an Instance in two of the most eminent Believers under the Old Testament, namely, Abraham and David, declaring that all Works whatever were excluded in and from their Justification, chap. 4.
On these Principles, and by this Gradation he peremptorily concludes, That all and every one of the Sons of men, as unto any thing that is in themselves or can be done by them, or be wrought in them, are guilty before God, obnoxious unto Death, shut up under sin, and have their mouths so stopped, as to be deprived of all pleas in their own excuse; that they had no Righteousness wherewith to appear before God, and that all the ways and means whence they expected it, were insufficient unto that purpose.