The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

This ruined the Jews, and will be the ruin of all that shall follow their example in seeking after Justification; yet is it not easy for Men to take any other way, or to be taken off from this. So the Apostle intimates in that expression, They submitted not themselves unto the Righteousness of God. This Righteousness of God is of that nature, that the proud mind of Man is altogether unwilling to bow and submit it self unto; yet can it no otherwise be attained, but by such a submission or subjection of mind, as contains in it a total Renunciation of any Righteousness of our Men. And those who reproach others for affirming, That Men endeavouring after Morality or Moral Righteousness, and resting therein, are in no good way for the participation of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ, do expressly deride the Doctrine of the Apostle, that is, of the Holy Ghost himself.

This ruined the Jews, and will be the ruine of all that shall follow their example in seeking after Justification; yet is it not easie for Men to take any other way, or to be taken off from this. So the Apostle intimates in that expression, They submitted not themselves unto the Righteousness of God. This Righteousness of God is of that nature, that the proud mind of Man is altogether unwilling to bow and submit it self unto; yet can it no otherwise be attained, but by such a submission or subjection of mind, as contains in it a total Renuntiation of any Righteousness of our Men. And those who reproach others for affirming, That Men indeavoring after Morality or Moral Righteousness, and resting therein, are in no good way for the participation of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ, do expresly deride the Doctrine of the Apostle, that is, of the Holy Ghost himself.

Wherefore, the plain design of the Apostle is to declare, that not only Faith, and the Righteousness of it, and a Righteousness of our own by Works are inconsistent, that is, as unto our Justification before God; but also that the intermixture of our own Works, in seeking after Righteousness, as the means thereof doth wholly divert us from the acceptance of, or submission unto the Righteousness of God. For the Righteousness which is of Faith, is not our own, it is the Righteousness of God, that which he imputes unto us. But the Righteousness of Works is our own, that which is wrought in us, and by us. And as Works have no aptitude nor meetness in themselves to attain or receive a Righteousness, which because it is not our own is imputed unto us, but are repugnant unto it, as that which will cast them down from their legal dignity of being our Righteousness: So Faith hath no aptitude nor meetness in it self, to be an Inherent Righteousness, or so to be esteemed, or as such to be imputed unto us, seeing its principal faculty and efficacy consists in fixing all the trust, confidence, and expectation of