N04105:186
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit, in reconciling of a sinner to God. / By Thomas Shepard, sometime of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, since preacher of God's word in New-England. ; [One line from Matthew]
Boston: printed by Green for D. Henchman, 1742
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.
2. Strictly, for those Habits of the Life of Holiness, which are opposite to the Body of Death in us; and that we are not first sanctified before we are justified in this Sense, we shall manifest by and by. Only let me begin to show the Error of the last Opinion first, viz. That a Christian is not justified before Faith, or Vocation, may appear thus:
2. Strictly, for those Habits of the Life of Holiness, which are opposite to the Body of Death in us; and that we are not first sanctified before we are justi••ed in this Sense, we shall manifest by and by. Only let me begin to shew the Error of the last Opinion first, viz. That a Christian is not justified before Faith, or Vocation, may appear thus:
1. It is professedly cross to the whole Current of Scripture, which saith, We are justified by Faith, and therefore not before Faith: and to say that the Meaning of such Phrases is, that we are justified declaratively by Faith, or to our Sense and Feeling in fo•• conscientiae, is a mere Device; for our Justification is opposed to the State of Unrighteousness and Condemnation going before, which Condemnation is not ⟨p. 81⟩only declarative, and in the Court of Conscience, but real, and in the Court of Heaven: for so saith the Scripture expressly, John 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already: and Verse 36. The Wrath of God abideth on him: And Gal. 3.22. The Scripture which is the Sentence in God's Court) hath concluded all under Sin. Hence a second Argument ariseth.
1. It is professedly cross to the whole Current of Scripture, which saith, We are justified by Faith, and therefore not before Faith: and to say that the Meaning of such Phrases is, that we are justified declaratively by Faith, or to our Sense and Feeling in fo conscientiae, is a meer Device; for our Justification is opposed to the State of Unrighteousness and Condemnation going before, which Condemnation is not