The Righteousness of God Revealed, Preface
An ADVERTISEMENT from the Author.
READER,
TO make a ſtay to camulate more Teſtimony to this Book, though of the like Right Reverend Perſons, to no other end but to ſignify their Conſent or Approbation of it, might give thee Occaſion to cenſure me for a ſeeker of vain Glory (which does little become ſuch a one as I) rather than thy Edification. I will uſe this ſpare Leafe therefore to another Purpoſe.
When I reprinted my Middle way of Juſtification which I printed at first about 25 Years ago, I thought of writing no more on that Point: But afer a while, there being ſomething I conceived needful for Finiſhing my Work, I took occaſion from the Difference among our United Brethren, in a ſingle Sheet, called, my [One Sheet] to draw up a Concluſion of the whole Matter, ſo thorowly (as I could) to my own Mind, intending it for my laſt, that I cannot think fit this Book, being now later, and like to be canvaſed more than the other, ſhould come abroad without it, as the Subſtance of this, as well as that Book before, and that I have wrote between, or any elſe I can write on this Subject. Having therefore this little room to fill, I cannot conſult my Own Content and Thy Profit better than to do it with this Citation from thence, as follows:
To underſtand aright St. Paul's Juſtification by Faith, we muſt conſider with whom it is he contends. The Jews (as the beſt skill'd in Rabbinical Learning, does tell us) did generally maintain the Doctrine of Freewill, not doubting but every one could do as God commanded if he would himſelf*This is the meaning of that Jewiſh ſaying, All things are in the Power and diſpoſal of Heaven, except the Fear of God; for that they believed was in their own. they having no Notion (as Pelagius at firſt) of Grace [All that God hath ſpoken we will do]: And having receiv'd the Law from God's Mouth, (the Excellency whereof was their Glory) they ſuppoſed in the obſervation of the Outſide, that they kept it, accounting the Reward promiſed therein due to them thereupon from God, as what in Juſtice they merited for their Deeds: Inſomuch that ſome thought themſelves ſo righteous as not to ſin at all, or need Pardon [Touching the Law, blameleſs. All theſe have I kept from my youth up]; and others that ſinned, being lick'd whole by Sacrifice, they thought all well, boaſting themſelves as the Only People, the Only Righteous in the Earth. Not to mention what we all know out of the Acts, that ſome of them were Converts to Chriſtianity did yet remain of the Opinion, that their Law was to be kept. The Apoſtle now ſets himſelf againſt†Not that this great I … was for … of the Jew… that is a … and un…thy … the Life and …tion of, Man… that Juſtification by Faith in Oppoſition to the Law muſt not be underſtood as to that of Moſes only, but to the whole Law of Works. theſe Jews, and lets them know that no Man, neither Jew nor Gentile is righteous in God's ſight (whatſoever they were in their own) but that all have ſinned, and need that Meſſias they expected, to make Reconciliation for their Sins; that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt being that true Meſſias, by his Death anſwering their Legal Sacrifices, hath born the Curſe of the Law, and ſo redeemed us from it. That, God's undeſerved Goodneſs here, in accepting of Sinners, through this meritorious Sacrifice of his, to Pardon and Life, upon Condition, which he gives the Grace alſo to perform, preſuppoſed, and by me acknowledg'd, it is another Righteouſneſs, and not that of the Jews (Not that Paul calls his own, as a Jew), or not a Righteouſneſs of Works [Perfect Works], but a Righteouſneſs of Faith, which makes the Reward only of Grace [Of Faith, that it may be of Grace]; a Righteouſneſs of Faith, but a true Faith working by Love, (which is an Internal Righteouſneſs though imperfect, and not as the External Works of the Jews was) is that Righteouſneſs of God in oppoſition to the Terms of the Law, whereby we are juſtified and ſaved.
The Apoſtle (I obſerve) in one place ſpeaking of Faith, calls it the Obedience of Faith; the ſame Word, if you compare that Text [Rom. 11.30, 31.] with the Margin, ſignifying both to Believe and Obey. And the People believed God and his Servant Moſes. I will conclude hereupon, that Chriſt's Redemption in the immediate fruit thereof, which is the Grant of a General Pardon through his Satisfaction to all the World on Condition, being laid as a foundation, To be juſtified by Faith is to be juſtified by performing that Condition. To be juſtified by Faith (Believe me at parting) is in St. Paul's Mind to be juſtified by the Obedience of Faith, in oppoſition to the task of the Law; that is (in St. Paul's Mind I ſay, oppoſing the Jew) by embracing the Chriſtian Religion, and living according to it.
Reader, In p. 14. l. 34. correct the Word [its] and make it [it] with a Full Point after. Other Errataes you may find at the end of the Book, or mend your ſelf.