Justification it self God's imputing Christ's Righteousness to us in such manner is one Cause of our Justification but Justification it self or the using of us in such favourable and kind manner is the effect of that imputation Nor 6 and lastly is Justification a bare remission of sins They who say so speak too little for the using a man as a Righteous and just man is not negative only or doing him no harm but positive also doing him good and therefore it contains not only security and exemption from the evil of suffering but the bestowing the good things of enjoyment the principal of which are spiritual and eternal the Assistances for Vertue here and Heaven hereafter or Grace and Glory as is usually said I will only here observe that although such as I have said be the general notion of Justification of sinners yet it must here in the Text be restrained to those instances of favour which follow Faith taken for a quality in us such as remission of sins c. because it is said justified by saith Faith is the Cause of Justification viz. a condition qualifying or capacitating Cause Justification or being used kindly by God is the effect of this our Faith And so much for the Explication of the Term Justification In summ this it is to use or treat a Person as useth to be done to a just and good man which is to do him no harm but to bear him good Will some way or other to do him good shew him favour and kindness For the second Term faith I mean justifying or saving Faith by which we are said to be justified it is as much contested and perhaps with more difficulty and less certainty resolved than the former of justification I for my part have observed these three significations of it The last of which I intend principally to enlarge my present Discourse upon First The first Sense of it may be Piety or Religion in general or rather religiousness i. e. Such an habitual Temper of mind whereby a man is disposed to obey the Will of God and consequently to do that which is right and just however made known to him from God It is this temper of Soul by which God estimates a good Man and by which he is qualified for God's Approbation Acceptance and Beneficence Particularly in those great Instances of Pardon Grace and Glory Which if vigorous and prevalent and constant enough to denominate us good men will certainly exert it self in all actual Obedience of inward Will and outward Action when it is not necessarily hindred as it may be by pure and invincible Ignorance by Diseases and Disorders of the Body or any external Impediments I say again because I think it wants and deserves Observation that it is according to the Degree and Constancy of this habitual Inclination of Soul that God estimates us and we shall be dealt withall by him Outward Actions especially and inward too are contingent may cease and are liable to an hundred Hindrances and Obstructions when the habitual Inclination of the Will is a constant thing and remains fixed in the Soul which God certainly knows though others and even our own selves sometimes may be ignorant of it so that the Jews from whom probably the Mahometans had it might save themselves and God the labour of casting up and weighing their good and bad Actions to know which Number weighs most and how the Case will stand with them in the Day of Judgment any further than they are signs of the Degree and Constancy of habitual Temper sometimes fallible enough But let this stand for a little Digression To return I cannot yet tell what better notion to fix upon faith when it is said The just shall live by faith quoted by Saint Paul Rom. 1. 17. and Gal. 3. 11. from Hab. 2. 4. to prove Justification not to be by the Law but by Faith and that too Synecdochically put viz. The Doctrine of the Condition of Justification for all the rest of the Gospel-doctrine concerning it as we shall presently more largely discourse The just shall live by faith i. e. A good and just Man by his Piety and Religiousness shall be in the Favour of God so as to be safe and happy when the proud and wicked Man forsaking God shall be forsaken by him An habitually Religious man which will certainly produce actual Obedience to God whensoever he sufficiently declares his Will and Laws ever was and ever will be approved accepted and favoured by God Which as he did once by Moses so hath he in these last days more evidently and perfectly by his Son the Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore it is not necessary that the just Man should live or be justified only by the actual Observance of the Mosaical Law which is what the Apostle proves by these words Let us examine a little the importance of the whole Verse in Heb. 10. 38. and Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by faith but if he draws back so it is to be rendred there being no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there but supposed to be put in by our own Interpreters in favour of the Doctrines of absolute Election and Perseverance My Soul shall have no pleasure in him We shall not meddle with the difference of the Heb. in Habb and this quotation by the Author to the Hebrews but only observe That to live is to fare well from God to be approved by him and be in his favour so as to receive from him the Promise of Salvation and Deliverance from their suffering Condition here or after this Life the reward of a happy Condition or both or as it is expressed in the next Verse the saving of the Soul This I say is the sense of living as it is commonly of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God's having no pleasure in him i. e. God's disfavour is opposed to it Besides in the Gal. To live not only vivere but valere is plainly of the same importance with Justification in the latter part of the Verse And then for Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is manifestly the believing of God's promises so effectually as to produce an entire submissive and obsequious Temper of Heart to God and consequently an actual Obedience and doing the Will of God in the profession and practice of the Christian Religion because it is opposed to a Man's withdrawing viz from that his Duty to God through fear or diffidence or any other evil Affection And it is of the same importance with that in the following Verse believing to the salvation of the Soul by which a good Man lives Faith by which a good Man lives cannot be either according to common reason or the Tenor of Revelation a bare Assent to God's Veracity Goodness and Power or the fulfilling of his Promises but the effect thereof a dutifull and obediential Heart to God It was in the same manner that Abraham was justified viz. by his Piety and
conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and v. 30. It is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and Uncircumcision through faith See also Gal 3. 17. and Rom. 10. 6. And truly such a kind of Language and Speaking seems agreeable enough to that of the most Ancient and Modern Jews Nay I think to one who never so little considers it is plain For the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness which is of Faith or by the Faith of Jesus Christ Rom. 10. 3 6. and Rom. 3. 21 22. are the same thing But the Righteousness of God is manifestly that way or method of Justification all the Causes of Justification together which God had appointed after the Coming of Christ under the Gospel and which Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles taught For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there as frequently elsewhere Gal. 5. 5. Rom. 3. 21 22. 30. compared with Rom. 9. 31. is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appears from the opposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Righteousness of God Rom. 10. 2. to that of the Jews own Righteousness To interpret that of inherent or imputed Righteousness is not probable though it may be a possible sense which sense of the word is yet more plain from v. 10. with the heart man believeth to righteousness i. e. to justification From hence it follows that the Righteousness of Faith is the way of Justification by God's Appointment and Command preached by the Apostles the Ministers of the Gospel or Christian Doctrine Again the Righteousness of God and of Faith is opposed to the Righteousness of the Law of the Works of the Law of their own Righteousness and St. Paul's own Righteousness of the Law Phil. 3. 9. and therefore must have the same kind of sense But these Righteousnesses are all manifestly no other thing than Justification according to the Doctrine and Belief of the Jewish Doctors of the Law the Generality of the Jews and St. Paul himself before his Conversion to Christianity And what if we should reduce the other two Senses of justifying Faith to this last and say That Faith where it signifies primarily the Condition or qualifying Cause in us of Justification as hath been explained may be taken Synecdochically a part for the whole one part of the Christian Doctrine concerning Justification and that which was more earnestly contested by the Jews for the whole of that Doctrine A thing ordinary enough in the Style of the Holy Scripture Nor do I see it besides the mind of the Apostle Beside if this sense be but equally probable it will be the best taken because it comprehends the other two Now to know what were the principal Differences between the Doctors of the Jews and Christians concerning Justification we are to consult both the Scriptures and the Jewish Authors themselves And as I think we may therein observe these Five First The Jews were of opinion that there were some men who needed no Justification at all no favour of God in that particular of remission of sins Some of these they thought had never sinned in all their lives the other again by their own study and exercise became without all faults and their exact Righteousness made recompence for their past Transgression These they called perfectly Righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they had two sorts more to appear in the Day of Judgment viz. perfectly wicked and a middle between both when as Mahomet's Disciples fansie God will make use of Poc. ad por Mos not cap. 6. Tal. Rosch hasch c. 1. Scales to weigh good and bad Works one against the other and if the Scales happen to be even mercy will weigh it down on the favourable side Of this sort among the Jews might be the Pharisee who went to the Temple with the Publican to pray for he recites only his religious Actions but saith not a word of any thing ever ill done And it is said Luke 18. that our Saviour spake that Parable against certain which trusted in themselves that they were Righteous And the occasion of the Parable Luke 11. and Matth. 8. 13. is some Argument that it was an opinion among the Jews that there were some men who needed no repentance Perhaps St. Paul might once reckon himself among these perfectly Righteous when he knew no better for he saith of himself That touching the Righteousness which was in the Law i. e. in Vogue and Reputation among the Lawyers or Doctors of the Law he was blameless Phil. 3. And I remember some-where in the Talmud to have read of some Masters of such perfect Sanctity as never to have committed one sin and to have been such from and in their Mother's Wombs as Jeremiah is said to be which there signifies no more than his being so early by God designed and separated to his Prophetical Office and Employment Now this opinion of theirs St. Paul denies affirming that all Men except the Blessed Jesus the true Messias have been and still continue in some Degree or other Sinners and that all Men therefore stood in need of continual Repentance and Remission That Jews and Gentiles have all fallen short of the Glory of God and were guilty before him That even the best of the Jews themselves were not exact Observers of their own Law especially in the inward and moral part of it This St. Paul proves out of their own sacred Authors which he quotes Rom. 3. Secondly b The Jews held generally that there was no need of the Merits or consideration of any other no not of the Messias himself for whose sake Justification or Remission of Sins particularly should be granted by God But that Repentance good Works Fastings Prayers Sacrifices Oblations temporal Punishments or finally corporeal Death were sufficient for the expiation of all sin whatsoever Or if any thought that there were any sins to be forgiven for the Messias's sake as some few of the Ancients thought c yet these were but few and restrained the Privilege to those of their own Nation and Religion and lastly however they would not hear of such a thing as that it was for the sake of Jesus of Nazareth whom they denied to be their Messias and rejected with an obstinate scorn To this St. Paul opposeth three things and maintains First That God ever did and ever would justifie and forgive sinners upon Consideration of and with regard to the perfect Obedience and Sacrifice of the Messias and not without it Secondly That this great Favour and Indulgence of Heaven was extended to all mankind And Thirdly That Jesus of Nazareth was this true Messias And that all this as it was in it self most reasonable so was it agreeable to Moses and the Prophets and now with such undeniable Proof and clear Evidence declared to be the Will of God that it was not indeed any longer to be disputed Thirdly The Jews advanced yet further and affirmed that
End and not to leave our selves to a tumultuous boonness of spirit and to the fortuitous tides or rushes of our appetites and passions So it hath been said of the Ancient Epicureans that their Exclusion of their Deities from humane Affairs was recommended by them as a comfortable dogm freeing Men from all fear and solicitude to please or displease them 6ly Sometimes in some men infidelity hath proceeded from a sowerness of mind great displeasure conceived and fermented into an impatience against God and his Providence Perhaps their impetuous desires have been crossed their darling designs broken and their jolly hopes frustrated or their sweet enjoyments suddenly swept away from them whence first they have entertained very hard thoughts of God and his Providence and broken out into rude and unmannerly expressions against them Then in revenge proceeded to wish them out of the World and at last have thought it more easie and safe to deny them 7ly In others again an affectation of singularity and despising what is common an humour of contradicting of what is ordinarily believed disposeth to infidelity Because the generality of men do believe those great truths so often mentioned therefore they will not They would seem more searching or fortunate or bold in their discoveries and opinions than all the World besides They would appear to know or at least dare to say that which the generality of Men have been ignorant of or that which if some few of the more curious and inquisitive and penetrating have thought as well as themselves yet they had not the courage to publish it Now these men are under a far more dangerous prejudice from affectation of singularity and novelty than the generality of men whom they usually despise are from Antiquity Custom and Example If we consider both these abstractedly it is far safer to follow common received opinions of many Countries and Ages especially if believed of great importance than the new inventions of one or some few Though both may be false yet if no other reasons be considered the old is much more likely to be true than the new And I believe it is the experience of those who impartially examine things that generally the common and well near universally received opinion of all places and ages especially if thought of great consequence whether true or false are at last found in the main part of them to be true And it is one of the best Employments of men of great Wit and more than ordinary sagacity and capacity to conceive and deliver them more clearly and distinctly and to pare off and separate some absurdities and falshoods which may in some tract of time by passing through many unskilfull hands have been fastned to them But of this more will be said when we come to the remedies of infidelity 8. To add no more at present Envy against the Professors but of Ingenuity Philosophy and Sobriety much more of Religion and Piety especially if attended with any thing of Dignity Reputation and Revenue hath been the Cause I doubt in many ill-tempered and ill-living Men of this Infidelity Some of these at first out of this ill-humour and quality feign to themselves and then industriously bring themselves to believe it that the things are frivolous or false for which Men of Learning and Religion have been thought worthy of their Rewards of Esteem Honour and Revenue And what 's the Cause or Reason No other but that their Eye is evil and they would not have them to enjoy them They do not well abide it to see them in possession of that which either they would have themselves whether deservedly or not or at least no body else Others again speak meanly or disgracefully of their Doctrine Opinion and Profession because they spoil the Reputation of their manner of life and are inconsistent with that licentiousness and liberty which they profess practise and delight in Hence it is they give them the bad and contemptible names of Pedantries uncertainties or falshoods Here we may take in another sort of men which are but servants and attendants to the former those viz. who get their livelihood and sometimes more by the excesses contentions quarrels perjuries and other wickednesses of the Age. These two as far as their Wit and Interest will go help on and promote the disbelief of all sober vertuous and religious Principles These and others which may be still added are the inward Causes and inherent in our selves of unbelief and disbelief and which are most in our own Power to prevent or remove There are also some others external and occasional such as the Example of witty and acceptable Company Hypocrisie in Religion both revealed and natural so taken and seeming at least especially in the Teachers of them when men profess they believe their grand Truths but do not live in any sort as if they did Which accusation is partly false for the generality of men though they do not indeed live near up to their Faith yet they would be much worse without it Partly it is to be put to another Cause viz. heedlesness and want of application of their belief to their practice But perhaps few things have been more an occasion of the Infidelity of some men than the over-zealous and blind Credulity of others Some men's believing too much and otherwise than they ought and yet fiercely imposing it hath been the Cause of others believing too little and sometimes they who have most complained of Scepticism and Infidelity Unbelief and Disbelief which are different things have contributed much to it themselves The introducing of many Opinions of neither light or use or very little either way uncertain or trivial nay sometimes not only justly suspicious but manifestly false and then the imposing them under what Penalties men have in their own Power the least of which is commonly the Censures and Reproaches of Enemies or Indifferents in Religion Hereticks Atheists Infidels I say these have begotten and extremely nourished Scepticism and Infidelity especially in this knowing and inquisitive Age bold when they dare lurking and doing more mischief oft-times when they dare not shew themselves because they cannot be examined and receive their Answers This is the infirmity of those well-meaning Men who will have every thing believed and imposed too which seems to them to make for the honour and reputation of their Religion not minding what should be in the first place known whether it be true or false But it is the wickedness of those who do it for their own secular interest and care not how much Mankind be abused so that their Domination be advanced and secured at least they connive at it and let it pass This Cause hath its effect principally among the ingenious and witty the great and haughty but not wise and just who want either leisure or patience or capacity or probity to examine and distinguish things They easily throw away the Wheat with the Chaff what is true and solid
with what is false and light 'T is also probity of mind they want who being licentiously given and no great friends to any Religion or Truth either which may lay any restraint upon them in their opinions or practices gladly take any advantages against them That men look upon all professing Religion and Conscience to be Ignorant Superstitious or Cunning so that their Example or Reason are of no Authority with them Neither doth this humour stop among this sort of men but it is soon conveyed into the vulgar too who soon learn to contemn Religion and the Priest especially in times of liberty Wherefore it is to be advised and sincerely Religious men wise and honest who heartily desire the Advancement of true Religion will so do that we be first assured of the truth of our belief and opinions in Religion and be now carefull and just to appear for nothing but what is so and for that reason And when we cannot fairly maintain any thing to be such tho' it appear never so much for the honour and interest of Religion as many very false and forged things have let it rest and go as it is till time may further discover And as for the vulgar it is surely their safest way to rely upon the Conduct of such wise and honest Men though they may be even exhorted to see with their own Eyes too if they can For it is much more easie for them to know who are such than to judge themselves of the truth and falshood Universal conveniencies and inconveniencâ—es of things to know who are the best Guides than to guide themselves This plain dealing without fraud or force will surely much advance the just Esteem of Religion and its Ministers and consequently its influence and efficacy We have but too much proof of this Cause of Infidelity from experience We have seen some Men and that of the first rank who have taught us such a God and that out of his own Books which others judge to be an absolute impossibility And yet after all they will be the only Orthodox and reprobate all those who will not be of their opinion Many also are those who have made the Holy Scriptures the most excellent Collection of Writings which were ever extant to speak such things which hath caused others not brooking their Interpretations nor being sufficient to find out better themselves to have mean and injurious thoughts of them And yet if any pious Man with the sincerest intentions and endeavours to preserve and vindicate their due honour by salving difficulties which seem to check Reason do advance any thing inconsistent with their settled Opinions and Systems he is presently irreligious and a severe Atheist too severe Censures whatever their mistakes may be But they are much more numerous still who have made up such an Hotch-potch in Religion by their Additions to the Holy Scriptures from pretended or enthusiastical Revelations forged or false Miracles Traditions Ecclesiastical Authority and Infallibility as first to turn men's Stomachs against it and at last to cause a great many quite to discharge themselves of it altogether But of these and such like I shall say no more at present But go on to the next general Head 2ly To propose some remedies proper to prevent or repress the influences of these Causes of Infidelity whereof some are more general some more particularly relating to some Causes and Circumstances The first of these is 1st To advise and assist Men to improve and advance their Knowledge to the highest Degree they are capable of For it seems just to deal so uprightly and plainly with the World as not to make use of mere Authority instead of understanding and reason where men are truly capable and honest though where they are ignorant but yet conceited self-willed or dishonest in things of importance and consequence Authority must be allowed to interpose for their own and the publick good which otherwise would greatly suffer Let therefore Men know as much as they can and examine these great verities with the greatest severity Assuredly the more they know the more reason they will see to believe them seriously and resolutely to live according to them Search the Scriptures saith our Saviour to the unbelieving Jews John 5. 39. to convince them that he was the promised Messias and the Person to whom all his Characters there did agree So say we Search the Scriptures Nature it self and Reason too for they bear witness of all these great Truths But then search them throughly examine them to the bottom see clearly reason carefully and justly weigh all things with indifferency and impartiality which will be presently a direction by it self Otherwise as the Jews did erroneously interpret the Holy Scriptures and conclude from them So may Men here through want of patience and attention and apprehension err and mistake in their Conclusion concerning the great Truths of Morality and all Religions We heartily desire that men's Faith and Belief may be the effect of a plain serious and deliberate Conviction more than of Custom where it may be And truly then as well as when it is wrought in the heart by the grace of God which is another Cause mentioned in the Scripture great is its Power and forcible its Operation and life it self is at its devotion and service Such was the effect of it in all the Apostles and particularly such is the Faith in Jesus Christ mentioned of Saint Thomas and Saint Peter when one cries out my Lord and my God and the other Lord whither should we go thou hast the word of Eternal Life Let that then be the first remedy against Infidelity viz. the utmost improvement and best exercise of our knowledge and reason 2ly Possess we our minds with a sincere and zealous Honesty and Probity By which I mean a strong habitual propension and inclination to that which is right and just This will have three Effects very proper to beget or confirm a right belief of the Truth and to preserve us in it The First A fervent love of the Truth The Second A free and ingenuous acknowledgment of it where-ever we discover it be it for us or be it against us Thirdly A desire to act suitable and live according to it I say a sincere and resolute Probity hath these effects For surely never any honest man doubted whether it was material more fit and just of better effect for a good man who will make good use of his knowledge to be knowing rather than ignorant or to believe the truth rather than a lye in order to direct him in all his inward Motions and outward Actions Without the first we shall not trouble our selves to search or find the truth Without the second when we know it we shall either not believe or deny it if possible or if by the clearness and evidence we cannot do that yet we shall turn our minds away from it Finally without the third we shall little esteem or
generous obediential Disposition of Soul towards the true God ready and prepared cheerfully to receive and execute all his Commands though never so difficult at all times And as he was then justified by that pious Temper of Heart manifesting it self in actual Obedience to the Commands of God then laid upon him So shall we Christians saith St. Paul if we be of the same pious Temper of Soul with Abraham exerting it self in an actual Obedience to the Laws of God now declared and enjoyned by Jesus Christ Nay we may add That the Jews themselves though they little understood it were all along justified upon the same Condition too Not so much by the Observance of the particular Laws of Moses as sent from God by Moses as they stiffly contend most of which were but temporary and fitted for the particular Circumstances of that People as by that devout Temper of Love Reverence and Obedience to God declaring his Will for that time by Moses And where-ever that Temper was among the Jews it had the same effect of actual Obedience to God by Jesus Christ when he was sufficiently preached and made known to them True sincere Piety the Love of Truth and Goodness prevailing against all worldly Interest and Prejudices brought the Jews themselves most certainly over to Christianity If we would know more of this Temper by Example we may see the 119 Psalm the History of Cornelius those of the New Covenant into whose Hearts and Minds God will put and write his Laws Heb. 10. 16. those whom our Saviour calls his Sheep who know hear his Voice and follow him And what is said of the Son of God himself Heb. 10. 7. Lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me to do thy Will O God These are the Persons this the Qualification Condition and Capacity for God's Favour Approbation Commendation and Reward or in one word for his Justification A submissive obediential Temper of Heart to God I say a Qualification or Condition of God's Favour in general and particularly expressed in remission of sins which by no means excludes the Consideration of Christ's Obedience and Sacrifice which ever was another Cause of Justification from the beginning and ever will be This sense of Faith viz. Piety will not be thought strange by those who have observed the Hebrew way of speaking Thus we read Exod. 14. ult that the Israelites believed in the Lord and his Servant Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. they submitted themselves to God's Laws and Government by Moses Their belief or faith in God and Moses was a disposition of mind in them to observe the Commands of God by Moses For it is of the same general Importance with the Phrase immediately before The people feared the Lord. The Israelites were as they professed ready to hear and do the Will of the Lord by Moses So they express themselves Exod. 19. 8. All that the Lord hath spoken we will do to obey the Voice of the Lord and to keep his Covenant Nor is it to be doubted but that the Israelites if they were really in their hearts what they professed with their mouths were then also justifiâ—d and in the Favour of God before they had heard any one particular Command of the Law from God by Moses either Ceremonial as Circumcision Festivals Sacrifice c. or Moral and if any of them then died as no doubt some did they were also saved Nor is the reason of this signification of faith when it is joined with Justification and Salvation less easie 'T is because Faith in its strict and primary Sense of assent to some Truths necessarily preceeds this Religiousness of Heart this habitual Piety A Man must firmly believe that there is right and wrong moral good and evil that the Will and Laws of God are the most infallible Rules of it that he will reward and punish the Observers or Transgressors of them before he is effectually resolved or habitually disposed universally to be obedient to God and to please him as the Authour to the Hebrews hath it Chap. 11. In like manner the love and fear of God are every where used in the Scriptures Synecdochically for all Religion and Vertue because those Affections in their strict and proper Sense produce in us a disposition of Soul to universal Obedience to him and consequently all Instances of Righteousness Such may be the first Notion of justifying or saving Faith Secondly A second is more particular and limited and that is an obedient Temper of Heart to God making known his Will and Laws to us by Jesus of Nazareth the true Christ or by being a Christian It was one of the principal Errours of the Jews against whom St. Paul in various places disputes about the Point of Justification that they would admit no other Condition of it than the Observance of the Mosaical Law which he calls the Law and the Works of the Law St. Paul maintains against them that it was not but a vertuous and holy Temper of Soul which loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity and consequently most desirous to know and do the Will of God when and in whatsoever Instances he should please to declare and reveal it But more especially and particularly now by Jesus of Nazareth the true Messias described foretold and promised to their own Nation He was now appointed by God to be his Vicegerent and Legislator under himself to all Mankind to the End of the World as Moses was for a certain time only to the Jews Now God expects and requires Submission and Obedience to his Laws by this Jesus from all Men every where All I say to whom this Declaration of his Will shall come and particularly from the Jews to whom he was preached by himself and other Disciples Which if they did and persever'd they should be justified by God and in his Favour particularly receive from him remission of sins the Holy Ghost and Eternal Salvation Thirdly and lastly Some have named a third Sense of faith and that is Faith objectively taken or the Doctrine of Christianity or if you please the Christian Religion For Religion objectively taken I would call a Doctrine revealed from God or a System of revealed Doctrines and that which is by Jesus Christ the Christian Doctrine or Religion so that Justification by Faith is the same with Justification according to the Doctrine of the Gospel or according to the Christian Religion and Justification by the Law or Works of the Law is Justification according to the Doctrine of the Mosaical Law Not that which Moses himself really taught or delivered but that which the Jewish Doctors the Interpreters of that Law and the generality of the Jews taught and believed in St. Paul's Time Such may be the sense of Rom. 3. 22. The Righteousness of God by faith i. e. taught by the Gospel and then fitly follows the particulars of that Doctrine in the four next Verses and v. 28. We