SECTION III. 93 places of scripture where with a plain design and exactness of expression he hath treated of the righteousness that justifies a sinner before God. And the holy apostle seems cautious of using the word justification, when he is speaking of his own sincere ; obedience ; 1. Cor. iv. 4 I know nothing by mnself, yet I am not herebyjustified; though thisjustification refers only to the charge ofany negligence in the dischargeofhis apostolical office. Objection III. Yet it is evident that there are several texts which speak of our justification by works, as James ii. 24. our justification by our words ; Mat. xii. 37. and our right to heaven bydoing the commands; Rev. xxii. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they ?nay have a right to the tree of life, and enter through the gates into the city. Answer. In those places of scripture where the word justification is used and attri- buted to our duties or graces, wemust consider in what sensejus- tification is taken. I. There is ajustification before men, and a justification in our own consciences ; and in both these respects our repentance, our love to God, our good works; all justify us against the charges of wicked men, and against the charges ofSatan's temp- tations, or our owndoubting consciences, that is, our repentance shews weare not impenitent, and our good works spew that we -are not full of wickedworks ; and good works may be said to justify us also against the charge of a false and hypocritical dead faith, for they prove that our faith is lively and true ; and this is that justification St. James intends, chapter ii. for verse 18. hp says, Iwill skew thee nzyfaith by my works ; and it is in this sense that he speaks of justifications by works. So Abraham wasjus- tjfied from the charge of a dead faith, by his zeal for God in offering up his Son ; Jaws ii. 21-23. Thus was the scripture - fulfilled, that is, thus was the truth and honour of the scripture maintained and cleared, whichdeclares Abrahamto be justified by faith. Now though this act of Abraham's faith here mentioned ; and Gen. xv. 6. exercised on the express promise of the Messiah, be not the first act of faith that ever he put forth, and though he might be in ajustified state long before ; yet every repeated act of true faith confirms the justifying sentence, and shews the way of his first justification : And so every good work he performed may be said, in another sense to confirm his justification too, as it proves the truth of his faith, and evidences him to be justified. 2. There is a justification at the day of judgment, which is only declarative, and designed to publish and declare' to all the world the equitableness of God's final sentence, adjudging some to heaven and some to hell : And there our own holiness, imper- fect as it is, may justify us against the. charge of being utterly wicked ; what good words we have spoken:may justify us against the charge of being always guiltyof evil or idlewords : They
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