The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

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.

3. From the same Testimony he declares how he came to be Partaker of that Righteousness whereon he was justified before God, which was by imputation; it was counted or imputed ⟨p. 454⟩unto him for Righteousness. The Nature of Imputation hath been before declared.

4. The especial Nature of this Imputation, namely that it is of Grace without respect unto Works, he asserts and proves, vers. 4. from what is contrary thereunto, Now to him that worketh is the reward •ot reckoned of Grace, but of Debt. Where Works are of any consideration, there is no room for that kind of Imputation whereby Abraham was justified, for it was a gracious Imputation, and that is not of what is our own antecedently thereunto, but what is made our own by that Imputation. For what is our own cannot be imputed unto us in a way of Grace, but only reckoned ours in a way of Debt. That which is our own with all the effects of it, is due unto us. And therefore they who plead that Faith it self is imputed unto us, to give some countenance unto an Imputation of Grace, do say it is imputed not for what it is, for then it would be reckoned of Debt, but for what it is not. So Socinus, Cum fides imputatur nobis pro justitia, ideo imputatur quia nec ipsa fides justitia est, nec vere in se eam continet, De Servat. Part. 4. cap. 2. which kind of Imputation being indeed only a false Imagination, we have before disproved. But all works are inconsistent with that Imputation whereby Abraham was justified. It is otherwise with him that worketh, so as thereon to be justified, then it was with him. Yea, say some, all Works that are meritorious, that are performed with an opinion of Merit, that make the Reward to be of debt, are excluded, but other Works are not. This distinction is not learned from the Apostle. For according unto him, if this be merit and meritorious, that the Reward be reckoned of Debt, then all Works in Justification are so. For without distinction or limitation he affirms, that unto him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of Grace, but of Debt. He doth not exclude some sort of Works, or Works in some sense, because they would make the reward of Debt, but affirms that all