A30137:192
A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ
A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ: showing, true Gospel-holiness flows from thence. Or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity, proved to be nothing more then to trample under foot the blood of the Son of God and the idolizing of man's own righteousness. As also, how while he pretends to be a minister of the Church of England, he overthroweth the wholesome doctrine contained in the 10th. 11th. and 13th. of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same, and that he falleth in with the Quaker, and Romanist, against them. By John Bunyan.A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ: shewing, true Gospel-holiness flows from thence. Or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity, proved to be nothing more then to trample under foot the blood of the Son of God and the idolizing of man's own righteousness. As also, how while he pretends to be a minister of the Church of England, he overthroweth the wholesom doctrine contained in the 10th. 11th. and 13th. of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same, and that he falleth in with the Quaker, and Romanist, against them. By John Bunyan.
London: printed for Francis Smith, 1673
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.
Answ. If the Promise be made at all to believing, it is not made to us upon the account of the Holiness we had lost; for I tell you yet again, that Holiness is not of Faith, neither was Faith the Effect thereof. But,
2. The Promises of Pardon, though they be made to such a Faith as is Fruitful in good Works: Yet not to it, as it is Fruitful in doing, but in receiving Good. Sir, the quality of Justifying Faith, is this, Not to Work, but to Believe, as to the Business of pardon of Sin: and that not only, because of the Sufficiency that this Faith sees in Christ to Justify, but also for that it knows those whom God thus Pardoneth, he Justifieth as ungodly. Now to him that Worketh not, but believeth; (Mark, here Faith and Works are Opposed) Now to him that Worketh not, but Believeth in him that Justifieth the Ungodly, his Faith is counted for Righteousness, Rom. 4.
2. The Promises of Pardon, though they be made to such a Faith as is Fruitful in good Works: Yet not to it, as it is Fruitful in doing, but in receiving Good. Sir, the quality of Justifying Faith, is this, Not to Work, but to Believe, as to the Business of pardon of Sin: and that not onely, because of the Sufficiency that this Faith sees in Christ to Justifie, but also for that it knows those whom God thus Pardoneth, he Justifieth as ungodly. Now to him that Worketh not, but believeth; (Mark, here Faith and Works are Opposed) Now to him that Worketh not, but Believeth in him that Justifieth the Vngodly, his Faith is counted for Righteousness, Rom. 4.
You add farther, That the Promises may be Reduced to these three Heads; that of the Holy Spirit, of Remission of Sins, and Eternal Happiness, in the Enjoyment of God.