Little flocks guarded against grievous wolves. an address unto those parts of New-England which are most exposed unto assaults, from the modern teachers of the misled Quakers. In a letter, which impartially discovers the manifold haeresies and blasphemies, and the strong delusions of even the most refined Quakerism: and thereupon demonstrates the truth of those principles and assertions, which are most opposite thereunto. Withjust reflections upon the extream ignorance and wickedness; of George Keith; who is the seducer that now most ravines upon the churches in this wilderness / written by Cotton Mather.

X. Assert, That our Justification, is by the Righteousness, or Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, Imputed unto us.

To be Justify'd, is to be Absolved from the Curse due for Sin, and Entitled therewithal to Life Eternal. If they ask you, Who Justifies you? Answer, 'Tis God that passes the mer∣ciful Sentence; as we read in Rom. 8. 33. It is God that Justifies. If they ask you, For what you are Justify'd? Answer, For the Obe∣dience which our Lord Jesus rendred unto God, as a Surety and Ransome for us: as we read in Rom. 5. 18. By the Righteousness of One, the Free Gift came upon all men to Justification and Life. If they ask you, By what you actually come within the reach of this Imputation? Answer, 'tis by that Faith, which receives the gracious profer of the Lord Jesus Christ, and relies upon it: as we read in Rom. 10. 10. With the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness. If they ask, In what you may Evidence the Truth of your Faith, so as to demonstrate its being Faith unfeigned? Answer, 'Tis by the Works of a Godly Conversation, which Faith has deriv∣ed strength from the Lord Jesus, for the per∣formance of; as it is written, in Jam. 2. 24.

You see then, how that by works a man is Justi∣fy'd, and not by Faith only. Let them not baf∣fle you, about this Fundamental Article. We cannot be legally just before God, until we are Owners of a Righteousness that fully satisfies the Demands of his Holy Law. Even Bur∣roughs the great Oracle of the Quakers tells us, God accepts not any, where there is any Fail∣ing; or, who do not fulfil the Law, and answer every demand of Justice. Ask them, whether it be not said in Rom. 4. 6. God Imputeth Righ∣teousness without Works? and let them (if they can!) soberly tell you, what they think of it. If they say, The works of Faith are our Righ∣teousness, ask them, whether they be the Works wrought before we are perfect? or af∣ter? if the Works before, then God will pro∣nou••c•• us Legally Righteous, while we are yet Legally Ʋnrighteous; for our works have not fully answered His Law. If the Works after, then wo•• ••o us all; for we shall not come thereto until we Dy. Cite unto them, Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath Fedeemed us, from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. And ask them, whether our being set free from the Curse of the Law, is not in our being Justi∣fy'd? Cite them before those Texts, in Rom. 5. 9. Being now justify'd bp his Blood, we shall be saved from Wrath thro him; and in Rom. 3. 4. Being Justify'd freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ; and in Eph. 12. 6. We have Redemption through His Blood,

the Forgiveness of our Sins. And make them fall before the force of 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. and Mat. 26. 28. and Rom. 5. 10. and Phil. 3. 9. with many more. After all, if they answer you, as Edward Burroughs does one that enqui∣red, whether there be any other Righteousness by which the Saints are Justify'd, than what Christ works only in them; Thou Beast (says he) to whom the Plagues of God are due, and upon whom the Wrath of God must be Accom∣plished, who wouldest have another Righteousness, than that which Christ works in the Saints: Don't return such foaming Language to them again; but only say, That you despair of es∣caping the Plagues and Wrath of God, with∣out another Righteousness. If they are so ex∣travagant, as to speak what William Pen writes, It is a great Abomination to say, God should condemn and punish his Innocent Son, that he ha∣ving Satisfy'd for our sins, we might be justi∣fy'd by the Imputation of his perfect Righteous∣ness; Only Reply, That it is a great Abomi∣nation unto you to hear such Abominable Blas∣phemies!