brought into the world. For it is as easie to faith to apprehend righteousnesse to come, as it is to lay hold on righteousnesse past or by-gone: like as our faith apprehendeth many things, yet to come, as our glorification.
Vorstius and his followers expound this Text in this sence, Rom. 3.28.
Gal. 2.16.
Rom. 4.5.Faith, that is, repentance, conversion and new obedience is accounted for righteousnesse, that is, in the place or stead of legall righteousnesse or exact obedience, though it be not so indeed. And so they freely confesse, Justification by works, which the Apostle saith, is by faith without the works of the Law. But that they might not seeme directly to crosse the Apostle, they say, we are not justified by the works of the Law, that is, exact and every way perfect, whereunto wages is due by debt; but by works of grace, graciously esteemed for righteousnesse, when in the rigour of the Law it is not exact and perfect righteousnesse.
But first we reade, that Rom. 3.24,25.God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation by faith in his bloud, that by the faith of Jesus, we might receive remission of sinnes: but we find not, that he hath ordained Christ to be a propitation through works, that by works we should be saved. And if God have not taught any such manner of Justification, it is not for us to receive it. We reade of two waies of Justification, by faith and works: but of a third manner by faith and works, both as joynt causes or con-causes, we find nothing in Scripture.
Secondly, By the doctrine of faith we are bound to acknowledge and confesse that Christ Jesus by his eternall Priest-hood, is not only the sole meritorious cause of all grace or righteousnesse inherent, requisite to finall absolution: but these presupposed in the party to be absolved, he is likewise the sole immediate cause of finall absolution or justification. Without observation in some measure to all the Commandments of God, we cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven: but we enter not for the obedience we have performed. To what use then doth our inherent righteousnesse or observance of Gods commandements serve us? If it hath been sincere and unfained, though imperfect, yet the faith that brought it forth will make a sincere and faithfull plea for mercy in the day of tryall, in which he that hath been an hearer only, and no doer of the Law, or hath done in part, what God would have done, but not sincerely, nor faithfully, shall not be heard. Our imperfectobedience
