1. Take notice of the great Unfairness of the Divines that oppose us, in the Improvement they make of this Passage against us. All will allow that in that Proposition of St. James, By Works a Man is justified, and not by Faith only, one of the Terms, either the Word Faith, or else the Word justify, is not to be understood precisely in the same Sense, as the same Terms when used by St. Paul; because they suppose, as well as we, that it was not the Intent of the Apostle James to contradict St. Paul, in that Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, that he had instructed the Churches in: But if we understand both the Terms, as used by each Apostle, in precisely the same Sense, then what one asserts is a precise, direct, and full Contradiction of the other, the one affirming and the other denying the very same Thing. So that all the Controversy from this Text comes to this, viz. Which of these two Terms, shall be understood in a Diversity from St. Paul. They say that it is the Word Faith; for they suppose, that when the Apostle Paul uses the Word, and makes Faith that by which alone we are justified, that then by it is understood a Compliance with, and Practice of Christianity in general; so as to include all saving christian Virtue and Obedience. But as the Apostle James uses the Word Faith in this Place, they suppose thereby is to be understood only an Assent of the Understanding to the Truth of Gospel Doctrines, as distinguished from good Works, and that […] may exist separate from them, and from all saving Grace. We on the other hand suppose that the Word Justify is to be understood in a different Sense from the Apostle Paul. So that they are forced to go as far, in their Scheme, in altering the Sense of Terms from Paul's Use of them, as we. But yet at the same Time, that they freely vary the Sense of the former of them, viz. Faith, yet when we understand the latter, viz. Justify, in a different Sense from St. Paul, they cry out of us, What Necessity of framing this Distinction, but ⟨p. 116⟩only to serve an Opinion? At this Rate a Man may maintain any Thing, tho' never so contrary to Scripture, and elude the clearest Text in the Bible! Tho' they don't show us why we have not as good Warrant to understand the Word Justify in a Diversity from St. Paul, as they the Word Faith.
1. Take notice of the great Unfairness of the Divines that oppose us, in the Improvement they make of this Passage against us. All will allow that in that Proposition of St. James, By Works a Man is justified, and not by Faith only, one of the Terms, either the Word Faith, or else the Word justify, is not to be understood precisely in the same Sense, as the same Terms when used by St. Paul; because they suppose, as well as we, that it was not the Intent of the Apostle James to contradict St. Paul, in that Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, that he had instructed the Churches in: But if we understand both the Terms, as used by each Apostle, in precisely the same Sense, then what one asserts is a precise, direct, and full Contradiction of the other, the one affirming and the other denying the very same Thing. So that all the Controversy from this Text comes to this, viz. Which of these two Terms, shall be understood in a Diversity from St. Paul. They say that it is the Word Faith; for they suppose, that when the Apostle Paul uses the Word, and makes Faith that by which alone we are justified, that then by it is understood a Compliance with, and Practice of Christianity in general; so as to include all saving christian Virtue and Obedience. But as the Apostle James uses the Word Faith in this Place, they suppose thereby is to be understood only an Assent of the Understanding to the Truth of Gospel Doctrines, as distinguished from good Works, and that 〈…〉 may exist seperate from them, and from all saving Grace. We on the other hand suppose that the Word Justify is to be understood in a different Sense from the Apostle Paul. So that they are forced to go as far, in their Scheme, in altering the Sense of Terms from Paul's Use of them, as we. But yet at the same Time, that they freely vary the Sense of the former of them, viz. Faith, yet when we understand the latter, viz. Justify, in a different Sense from St. Paul, they cry out of us, What Necessity of framing this Distinction, but ⟨p. 116⟩only to serve an Opinion? At this Rate a Man may maintain any Thing, tho' never so contrary to Scripture, and elude the clearest Text in the Bible! Tho' they don't shew us why we have not as good Warrant to understand the Word Justify in a Diversity from St. Paul, as they the Word Faith.
