A89737:1326
The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few…
The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few whereof are much opposed and eclipsed in this perilous hour of the passion of the Gospel) are briefly discussed, cleared, and confirmed: as a further help, for the begetting, and establishing of the faith which is in Jesus. As also the state of the blessed, where; of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution: and of their persons after their resurrection. By John Norton, teacher of the church at Ipswich in New England.The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few whereof are much opposed and eclipsed in this perillous hour of the passion of the Gospel) are briefly discussed, cleared, and confirmed: as a further help, for the begeting, and establishing of the faith which is in Jesus. As also the state of the blessed, where; of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution: and of their persons after their resurrection. By John Norton, teacher of the church at Ipswich in New England.
London: printed by John Macock for Henry Cripps, 1654
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.
This Proposition, We are justified by faith, is figurative,1 i.e. Metonymical, whereby that which belongs to the principal cause, is attributed to the instrumental cause. Faith justifieth not for its own worth, but for the worth of the object which it apprehends; Faith doth not justify as an act of ours, but all the virtue thereof proceedeth from its object; the virtue that healed the Israelites proceeded from the object, viz. the brazen Serpent they looked upon, not from the looking upon the Brazen Serpent, and the virtue that healed the Woman, Luke 8.46.48.50. proceeded out of Christ who was touched, not out of the Woman's touch; we are declared righteous upon our believing. Faith in the matter of our Justification, is the instrument apprehending, and applying that which doth ⟨p. 308⟩justify; the proper act of Faith is, to receive the righteousness of another; we are justified by faith correlatively, that is, we are justified by that which is the correlate of faith, namely, the obedience of Christ; the meaning is, it is the Obedience of Christ, not Faith that justifieth; that which is apprehended, not that which apprehendeth. Faith alone justifieth, that is, faith (as it justifieth) is alone; but justifying faith is not alone, that is, faith as it justifieth, is without works, but the faith that justifieth is a working faith.
This Proposition, We are justified by faith, is figurative,1 i.e. Metonymical, whereby that which belongs to the principal cause, is attributed to the instrumental cause. Faith justifieth not for its own worth, but for the worth of the object which it apprehends; Faith doth not justifie as an act of ours, but all the vertue thereof proceedeth from its object; the vertue that healed the Israelites proceeded from the object, viz. the brazen Serpent they looked upon, not from the looking upon the Brazen Serpent, and the vertue that healed the Woman, Luke 8.46.48.50. proceeded out of Christ who was touched, not out of the Womans touch; we are declared righteous upon our beleeving. Faith in the matter of our Justification, is the instrument apprehending, and applying that which doth