concerning Faith and Works. 563 in the fight of God. And as the Do&rine hereof belonged eminently unto the Gofpel, whofe Revelation and Declara- tion unto the Gentiles Was in a peculiar manner committed unto him, fo as we have newly obferved, he had an efpecial reafon to infift much upon it from the .oppofition that was made unto it by the Jews and Judaizing Chriftians, who af- cribed. this priviledge unto the Law, and our own Works of Obedience in compliance therewithal. This is the cafe he ftates, this the queftion he determines in all his Difcourfes about Juftification 5 and in the explication thereof declares the nature and caufes of it, as alío vindicates it from all ex- ceptions. For whereas men of corrupt minds and willing to indulge unto their Tufts (as all men naturally delire nothing but what God hath made eternally inconfiftent, namely, that they may live in fin here, and come to bleffedneßs hereafter) might conclude that if it were fo as he declared, that we are juftified freely through the Grace of God by the Imputation of a Rïghteoufnefs that Originally and inherently is not our own, then was there no more required of us, no relinquifh- ment of fin, no attendance unto the duties of Righteoufnefs and Holinefs, he obviates fuch impious fuggeftions, and {hews the inconfequence of them on the Do &tine that he taught. But this he doth not do in any place by intimating or grant- ing that our own Works of Obedience or Righteoufnefs are neceffary unto, or have anycaufal influence into our Juftifica- tion before God. Had there been a Truth herein, were not a fuppofition thereof really inconfiftent with the whole of his Do&rine and deftruitive of it, he would not have omit- ted the Plea of it, nor ought fo to have done, as we have chewed. And to fuppofe that there was need that any other fhould explain and vindicate his Doctrine from the fame ex- ceptions which he takes notice of by fuch a Plea, as he him- Of would not make ufe of but rejeëts, is föolifh and im- pious. Cccc 2 The
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