Animadvers.
Justifying, as the Scripture doth use the Word, is the ac∣quitting of us from all sin. For he is justified, to whom the Lord doth not impute sin, Rom. 4. 8. Whoshall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? (viz. when they are justified?) 'tis God that justifieth, Rom. 8. 33. Now all sin is a break∣ing of the Law, 1 John 3. 4. Your selves say, p. 147. [There's no sin prohibited in the Gospel, which is not a breach of some one Precept in the Decalogue.] But what all this which you here say, is to your purpose; viz. To prove that the fore∣mentioned saying of Divines is improper, I confess I cannot well see. For though (as you say) Justifying in Scripture is the acquitting of us from the Charges of breaking the Law, and not from the Charge of violating the New-Covenant, may it not yet properly be said, that Christ first justifieth our persons, and then our duties and actions? You hold, that the New-Covenant is not violated but by final Ʋnbelief; and I suppose it to be true, if it be rightly understood. But for any thing I can see, though none be acquitted from such Violation of the New-Covenant, yet first our persons, and then our duties and actions may properly be said to be justified; that is, accepted as just, and acquitted from all Accusation brought against them, though in themselves they be not such, but that sin doth deave unto them.