The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. He denies that Abraham was justified by Works, vers. 2. And (1.) These Works were not those of the Jewish Law, which alone some pretend to be excluded from our Justification in this place. For they were the Works he performed some hundreds of years before the giving of the Law at Sinai: wherefore they are the Works of his Moral Obedience unto God that are intended. (2.) Those Works must be understood which Abraham had then, when he is said to be justified in the Testimony produced unto that purpose; But the Works that Abraham then had, were Works of Righteousness, performed in Faith and Love to God, Works of New Obedience under the Conduct and aids of the Spirit of God; Works required in the Covenant of Grace. These are the Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham. And these things are plain, express and evident, not to be eluded by any Distinctions or Evasions. All Abraham's Evangelical Works are expressly excluded from his Justification before God.

1. He denies that Abraham was justified by Works, vers. 2. And (1.) These Works were not those of the Jewish Law, which alone some pretend to be excluded from our Justification in this place. For they were the Works he performed some hundreds of years before the giving of the Law at Sinai: wherefore they are the Works of his Moral Obedience unto God that are intended. (2.) Those Works must be understood which Abraham had then, when he is said to be justified in the Testimony produced unto that purpose; But the Works that Abraham then had, were Works of Righteousness, performed in Faith and Love to God, Works of New Obedience under the Conduct and aids of the Spirit of God; Works required in the Covenant of Grace. These are the Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham. And these things are plain, express and evident, not to be eluded by any Distinctions or Evasions. All Abraham's Evangelical Works are expresly excluded from his Justification before God.

2. He proves by the Testimony of Scripture, declaring the Nature and Grounds of the Justification of Abraham, that he was justified no other way, but that which he had before declared, namely by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus, vers. 3. Abraham believed God (in the Promise of Christ and his Mediation) and it was counted unto him for righteousness, vers. 3. He was justified by Faith in the way before described (for other Justification by Faith there is none) in opposition unto all his own Works, and Personal Righteousness thereby.