Justification Vindicated

by Robert Traill

Can sinners really be justified before God by faith alone? If so, can they go on to live as they please? Robert Traill suffered persecution, exile and prison for faithfulness to the gospel. He shows... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0851518184
• ISBN13: 9780851518183
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Banner of Truth
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 4.8" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

A Refreshing and Succinct Summation of the Biblical Doctrine of Justification

Studying the imputed righteousness of Christ, which is of course at the very heart of the biblical gospel, I picked up what was said to be a little classic in Trail's Justification Vindicated. What I found here was a pleasantly short but thoroughly precise treatise on the doctrine of Justification. The book is actually a letter written by Trail to a friend in response to the "neonomian controversy" of his day. Because of this format, the book takes on the feel of an epistle of sorts, and would thus fall more on the `devotional' side of literature instead of the strictly academic. This is a great benefit in my opinion, for it puts this great Puritan into a format that even children and young Christians should be able to follow and understand. But the "neonomian controversy" isn't really detailed in the book, and this is somewhat unfortunate because it at times leaves the reader wondering what exactly Trail is arguing against. From what I gathered, and from what Trail does cite, the controversy surrounded how we are justified before God (obviously), and the righteousness by which we are justified (in other words, how are we saved? What is the gospel?). In this controversy Trail stands firmly with the reformers and traditional protestant Christianity in declaring that man is `not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ`, which is rooted in the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, as opposed to his opponents, who declared that our good works must cooperate in our justification. In other words, is salvation up to man's free will, based at least partly upon man's good works, and fully consummated upon man's ability to obey these good works until death? Or is salvation based upon God's grace and favor alone, by faith alone, and defendant upon the righteousness of Another alone, namely the righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to a believer completely apart from works of obedience? Trail of course affirms the later and refutes the former. If I could sum up the book in one word, it would be `refreshing'. It was simply refreshing to read a man defend the imputation of Christ with such fervor. Trail goes back to the imputed righteousness of Christ again, and again, and again. He rightly shows that this doctrine is at the heart of the Biblical gospel, and that almost every doctrinal error and perversion can be traced back to some deviation from the precious truth of imputation. Overall, I give this book 4 stars out of 5, and would particularly recommend it to new or young Christians for a good defense and explanation of the foundation that lies at the heart of our faith. Lastly, here are a few choice quotes from the work: (Quoting Foxes Book of Martyrs): "Expound the law truly, and open the veil of Moses to condemn all flesh, and prove all men sinners...and then as a faithful minister, set abroach the mercy of our Lord Jesus, and let the wounded consciences drink of the water of Him. And then shall your preaching be with