N00347:133
A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to…
A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to the Scriptures. : As it was delivered in several sermons on this subject. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Ten lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by S for Samuel Phillips, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
2. The infused Righteousness of believers […] not in this life perfect: That believers have infused Righteousness is not denied: they ha•• the renewing of the Image of God upon them, which is in Righteousness and true holiness, Eph: 4.24. there is the grace of Sanctification, as well as the grace of Justification but still this Image is restored here but in […] and not in perfection: God hath not […] to his people such a measure of it as will endure the Covenant of Works; Paul had […] Righteousness personal, but he durst not •• rogate perfection to his Obedience, but altogether disclaims it, and gives us to understand that he is but in pursuit of it, Phil. 3. 12, 1• so that although it be so, that Christ doth […] his Spirit infuse an holiness and Righteousness into his people, when he works the wor• of Conversion in them; yet it is not th• thing we are justified by or for; for tha• which is imperfect, though it may be accepted in a way of grace and pity, yet it cannot justify in a way of Law and equity, for these two things are quite of a distant nature th• one from the other; and therefore there must be another Righteousness found for th• ⟨p. 67⟩doing of that, and another way discovered, wherein it may become ours: which Righteousness (as is before proved) can be no other but the perfect Righteousness of Christ, (for it must be a perfect one) and that can become ours in no other way but only by Imputation.
2. The infused Righteousness of believers 〈…〉 not in this life perfect: That believers have infused Righteousness is not denied: they ha•• the renewing of the Image of God upon them, which is in Righteousness and true holiness, Eph: 4.24. there is the grace of Sanctification, as well as the grace of Justification but still this Image is restored here but in and not in perfection: God hath not to his people such a measure of it as will endure the Covenant of Works; Paul had Righteousness personal, but he durst not rogate perfection to his Obedience, but altogether disclaims it, and gives us to understand that he is but in pursuit of it,