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is ours, before he reckon it fo: Rom. ii. 2. We < are fure that the judgment of God is according ' to truth.'

The Righteoufnefs of Chrift becomes ours, through Faith: Phil. iii. 9. Rom. iii. 22. forecited. It is ours through Faith, by Right of free Gift, and Right of Communion with Chrift himself. The Believer poffeffeth it as his by Right of free Gift, inafmuch as Chrift's Righteoufnefs being made over in the Gofpel, as Heaven's free Gift to Sinners, he hath received it by Faith: Rom. i. 17. For therein [the gofpel of Chrift] is the righte❝oufness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The juft fhall live by faith.' Chap. v. 17. They which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, fhall reignin life by one, Jefus Chrift.' He poffeffeth it as his by Right of Communion with Chrift himself, inaf much as, being united to Chrift, he hath a common Intereft or Communion with him in his Righteousness: Eph. iii. 17. That Chrift may dwell in "your hearts by faith.' 1 Cor. i. 9. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord." Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law; but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteoufnels which is of God by faith.' Chrift's Righteouf nefs, then, is not therefore ours, because it is imputed to us; but therefore it is imputed to us, because it is ours, Rom. ii. 2. forecited. Chap. iv. 23. 24. "Now, it was not written for his fake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us alfo, to whom it fhall be imputed, if we believé

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on him that raifed up Jefus our Lord from the • dead.'

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The Righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed to a Lawcondemned Sinner, is a good Ground for his Jufti fication, Pardon, and Acceptance, as a Perfon truly righteous, inafmuch as thereby the commanding and condemning Law is judicially found, at the Throne of Grace, to be fully fatisfied in all its Demands for Righteousness that it had upon him: Rom. iii. 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid : yea, we establish the 'law. Chap. viii. 3. 4. forecited. Chap. x. 4. Christ is the end of the law for righteoufnefs to ( every one that believeth." Ch vii. 4. Wherefore, my brethren, ye alfo are become dead to the law by the body of Chrift; that ye fhould be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit 'unto God. Compared with Chap. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.'

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As to what we are juftified by, we are justified by Faith alone: Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift: Even we have believed in 'Jefus Chrift; that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law:

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for by the works of the law fhall no flesh be justi'fied. To be juftified by Faith alone, is to be juftified by Faith, and not by Works, in whole, nor in part: Rom. iii. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a man is juftified by faith without the deeds 'of the law. Paul's Doctrine, That we are juftifed by Faith alone; and the Doctrine of James, K 4

That

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That we are juftified by Works, and not by Faith enly, Jam. ii. 24. do not difagree, (2 Pet. i. 21. 'For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft.'); and that, inafmuch as they speak of very different Subjects. What Paul fpeaks of, is God's juftifying us by an Act of his, declaring us to be righteous: Rom. iv. 6.,7.8. Even as David alfo defcribeth the bleffednefs of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, faying, Bleffed are they whofe iniquities are forgiven, and whofe fins are covered. Bleffed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute. fin.' What James fpeaks of, is but our juftifying ourselves, by a Course of Life fhewing us to be righteous: Fam. ii. 18. Yea, a man may fay, Thou haft faith, and I have works: fhew me thy faith without thy works, * and I will fhew thee my faith by my works.' verf. 21. 'Was not Abraham our father juftified by works, when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon the altar? Now, a man juftifies or fhews himfelf righteous by Faith in the Sight of God, by good Works: Jam. ii. 21. forecited. verf. 25. Likewife alfo, was not Rahab the harlot juftified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had fent them out another way?" John xv. 14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.' Rom. vi. 14. 'Sin fhall not have

dominion over you for ye are not under the law, but under grace. For though we are juftified of God by Faith alone, yet Faith is not alone, without good Works, in the Juftified: Jam. ii. 17. Even fo faith, if it hath not works, is dead be ing alone. verf. 26. For as the body without

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the fpirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead alfo.' Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no 'condemnation to them which are in Chrift Je

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fus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the 'Spirit.' Nevertheless, Faith is alone, without good Works, in Juftification: Rom. iv. 5. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that 'juftifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteoufnefs.' That appears, inasmuch as no Man can do a good Work, till once he is justified by Faith 1 Tim. i. 5. Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and ' of a good confcience, and of faith unfeigned." Luke vii. 47. 'Wherefore I say unto thee, Her 'fins which are many, are forgiven; for fhe loved 'much but to whom little is forgiven, the fame 'loveth little.' Rom. vii. 4. forecited. No Man can do a good Work, till once he is juftified by Faith, becaufe till then he is under the Curfe of the Law: Rom. vii. 5. 6. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of fins which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are ' delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we fhould ferve in newness of fpirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." The Act of Believing, whereby we are juftified, cannot be reckoned a good Work done by us, before we are justified, forafmuch as it is the Effect of a quickening or creating Act of God in us," by which we pafs from under the Curfe, into a a State of Juftification: Eph. i. 19. 20. That ye " may know what is the exceeding greatnefs of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power; which he wrought

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in Chrift, when he raised him from the dead,' &c. John v. 24. Verily verily I fay unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting life, and fhall not come into condemnation; but is paffed from 'death unto life.'

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We are not juftified by Faith, as the Righteoufnefs itself for which we are juftified: Rom. v. 18. By the righteoufnefs of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juftification of life. verf. 19. By the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. But Faith is, according to the Style of the Scripture, faid to be counted to us for Righteoufnefs, (Gen. xv. 6. Rom. iv. 3.); not that God judgeth it to be our Righteoufnefs, but because he treats it as if it were fo: Job xix. 15. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger : I am an alien in their fight.' Chap. xiii. 24. Wherefore holdeft thou me for thine enemy? Chap. xxxiii. 20. 'Behold, he counteth me for his enemy. Compared with Chap. x. 7. Thou knoweft that I am not wicked. God treats Faith as if it were our Righteoufnefs in his Sight, in that immediately upon our Act of Believing he juftifies us. But we áre juftified by Faith, as the alone Inftrument or Mean of our Juftification: John i. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to be. come the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name?' Rom. in. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a man is juftified by faith without the deeds of the law. Chap. v. 1. There ⚫fore being justified by Faith, we have peace with "God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Faith jufti fies us inftrumentally, as it receives the Gift of Righteousness,

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