PREVIOUS UNTO THE EXPLANATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION.

FIRST, The general nature of justification-State of the person to be justified ante-

cedently thereunto, Rom. iv. 5, iii. 19, i. 32; Gal. iii. 10; John iii. 18, 36; Gal.

iii. 22-The sole inquiry on that state-Whether it be any thing that is our own

inherently, or what is only imputed unto us, that we are to trust unto for our

acceptance with God-The sum of this inquiry-The proper ends of teaching

and learning the doctrine of justification-Things to be avoided therein. . 7

SECONDLY, A due consideration of God, the Judge of all, necessary unto the right stat-

ing and apprehension of the doctrine of justification, Rom. viii. 33; Isa. xliii. 25,

xlv. 25; Ps. cxliii. 2; Rom. iii. 20-What thoughts will be ingenerated hereby

in the minds of men, Isa. xxxiii. 14; Micah vi. 6, 7; Isa. vi. 5-The plea of Job

against his friends, and before God, not the same, Job xl. 3-5, xlii. 4-6-Direc-

tions for visiting the sick given of old-Testimonies of Jerome and Ambrose-

Sense of men in their prayers, Dan. ix. 7, 18; Ps. exliii. 2, cxxx. 3, 4-Paraphrase

of Austin on that place-Prayer of Pelagius-Public liturgies

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THIRDLY, A due sense of our apostasy from God, the depravation of our nature-

thereby, with the power and guilt of sin, the holiness of the law, necessary unto

a right understanding of the doctrine of justification-Method of the apostle to

this purpose, Rom. i. ii. iii.-Grounds of the ancient and present Pelagianism,

in the denial of these things-Instances thereof-Boasting of perfection from

the same ground-Knowledge of sin and grace mutually promote each other. 20

FOURTHLY, Opposition between works and grace, as unto justification-Method of
the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, to manifest this opposition-A scheme
of others contrary thereunto-Testimonies witnessing this opposition-Judg-
ment to be made on them-Distinctions whereby they are evaded-The useless-
ness of them-Resolution of the case in hand by Bellarmine, Dan. ix. 18; Luke
xvii. 10.

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