A25294:711
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian…The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian…
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian catechism in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy labourer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian catechisme in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy laborer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...
London: printed by T. Mabb for Thomas Davies, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Doct. 1. It is God that justifieth us.
He is said to justify us, not in that he infuseth righteousness unto us, or makes us fit to do things that are just; which is the error of Papists, placing justification first in the infusion of the habits of faith, hope, and charity; and next in the good works that comes from those habits; with which they mix a certain sort of remission of sins: But therefore he is said to justify us, because by his judicial sentence he absolves us from the guilt of all sin, and accepts or accounts of us, as fully just and righteous for eternal life, by the righteousness of Christ, which he giveth us. This appears from hence, that this justification is used in Scripture to be opposed ⟨p. 156⟩unto a charging with crimes, and unto condemnation; Rom. 8. 33. And this is done of God, as it were by these degrees. 1. In his eternal counsel and decree, because from eternity he intended to justify us. 2. In our head Christ rising again from the dead, we were virtually justified, & in some sort actually; as in Adam sinning all his posterity were virtually condemned to death by the Law, and in some sort actually, because in some sort actual sinners. 3. He justifies us fuller actually and formally in our selves, and not only in our head; when by his Spirit, and our faith the work of his Spirit, he applies Christ unto us, to our justification. 4. And further yet, he justifies us actually and formally to our sense and feeling, when by our own reflex knowledge, and examination of our estate, he gives us to perceive this application of Christ made, and so to have peace and •oy in him.
He is said to justify us, not in that he in•useth righteousness unto us, or makes us fit to do things that are just; which is the errour of Papists, placing justification first in the infusion of the habits of faith, hope, and charity; and next in the good works that comes from those habits; with which they mix a certain sort of remission of sinnes: But therefore he is said to justify us, because by his judicial sentence he absolves us from the guilt of all sin, and accepts or accounts of us, as fully just and righteous for eternal life, by the righteousness of Christ, which he giveth us. This appears from hence, that this justification is used in Scripture to be opposed