But you may object; this Doctrine 1hardens the People in their sinful courses. If you understand it of all, it is false: If of evil doers, that run on in sin against their Conscience, and take no care to restrain their Lusts: As for such, who ever said or taught, that they are Justified by Faith only? And yet nevertheless the Truth of this Assertion remains invincible, whereby we affirm that a wicked Man is Justified by Faith only, without Works, if the Scope and meaning thereof be well understood. Which will be easy, if by adding ⟨p. 362⟩that, which supplies the room of a predicate, the proposition be made entire. As when Faith only is said to Justify, add unto the Subject of this Enunciation, its own proper predicate, or I may rather say, add the proper Subject of Justification, and understand aright, who they are, whom Faith only Justifies without Works, according to the saying of Paul: For herein chiefly lies the (difficulty) of this Controversy, 2Neither is there any thing wherein the Adversaries are more grossly mistaken: And herein they follow the Foot-steps of those, concerning whom Cyprian justly complains, saying, They look at that, which is said in the first place, but regard not, what follows after. They catch at that which we assert of Faith only Exclusively, and think there is injury done to good Works, if Faith only is sufficient to Salvation: But they take no notice what manner of Persons they are, to whom this Justification by Faith belongs. It is the Advice of those School Divines, to consider the reasons of things proposed, according to their Subject matter, and why then do they not observe their own Rule in this Evangelical Assertion? Christ affirms it, Paul confirms it, yea, the common practice of life, natural Reason, and Experience, and the Conscience of all good Men proclaim that Ruin comes only from our Works, and Salvation only from Christ. And because we receive this only Mediator Christ by Faith ⟨p. 363⟩only, hence it is that we assert it is Faith that justifies believing sinners before God. But let us see what manner of Sinners they are, whom Faith Justifies: Is it the Rebellious, and Impenitent? No verily. Then it must be such sinners, as are Converted, and Humbled, and have the fear of God before their Eyes.
But you may object; this Doctrine 1hardens the People in their sinful courses. If you understand it of all, it is false: If of evil doers, that run on in sin against their Conscience, and take no care to restrain their Lusts: As for such, who ever said or taught, that they are Iustified by Faith only? And yet nevertheless the Truth of this Assertion remains invincible, whereby we affirm that a wicked Man is Iustified by Faith only, without Works, if the Scope and meaning thereof be well understood. Which will be easie, if by adding ⟨p. 362⟩that, which supplies the room of a predicate, the proposition be made entire. As when Faith only is said to Iustifie, add unto the Subject of this Enunciation, its own proper predicate, or I may rather say, add the proper Subject of Iustification, and understand aright, who they are, whom Faith only Iustifies without Works, according to the saying of Paul: For herein chiefly lies the (difficulty) of this Controversie, 2Neither is there any thing wherein the Adversaries are more grosly mistaken: And herein they follow the Foot-steps of those, concerning whom Cyprian justly complains, saying, They look at that, which is said in the first place, but regard not, what follows after. They catch at that which we assert of Faith only Exclusively, and think there is injury done to good Works, if Faith only is sufficient to Salvation: But they take no notice what manner of Persons they are, to whom this Iustification by Faith belongs. It is the Advice of those School Divines, to consider the reasons of things proposed, according to their Subject matter, and why then do they not observe their own Rule in this Evangelical Assertion? Christ affirms it, Paul confirms it, yea, the common practice of life, natural Reason, and Experience, and the Conscience of all good Men proclaim that Ruine comes only from our Works, and Salvation only from Christ. And because we receive this only Mediatour Christ by Faith ⟨p. 363⟩only, hence it is that we assert it is Faith that justifies believing sinners before God. But let us see what manner of Sinners they are, whom Faith Iustifies: Is it the Rebellious, and Impenitent? No verily. Then it must be such sinners, as are Converted, and Humbled, and have the fear of God before their Eyes.
- 1An Answer to this Objection.
- 2Ambiguity. Faith only Justifies, but not all kind of Sinners.Ambiguity. Faith only Iustifies, but not all kind of Sinners.
