N30392:266
The travels of true godliness. From the beginning of the world to this present…
The travels of true godliness. From the beginning of the world to this present day, in an apt and pleasant allegory: showing, what true godliness is; also the troubles, oppositions, reproaches, and persecutions he hath met with in every age. : Together with the danger and sad declining state he is in at this present time, by errors, heresies, and ungodliness, or open profaneness. / By Benjamin Keach, author of a book called War with the devil, and Zion in distress, and The travels of ungodliness.The travels of true godliness. From the beginning of the world to this present day, in an apt and pleasant allegory: shewing, what true godliness is; also the troubles, oppositions, reproaches, and persecutions he hath met with in every age. : Together with the danger and sad declining state he is in at this present time, by errors, heresies, and ungodliness, or open prophaneness. / By Benjamin Keach, author of a book call'd War with the devil, and Sion in distress, and The travels of ungodliness.
Boston: printed by B. Green and Company for D. Gookin over against the Old South Meeting-House, 1745
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.
Antino. You darken the free Grace of God, and make Faith a cause of our Justification, which I deny.
Godly. I will forbear to show the great Absurdities of your Notion; 'tis well known what vile Effects it hath had on some Persons of late. Friend, I deny Faith to be any Cause or Condition of Justification to be performed by the Creature, and such as do assert it is, I dislike, as much as I dislike you. ⟨p. 91⟩Faith is the Instrument I do own, by which (when the Spirit is infused into the Soul) the Creature receives Christ and his Righteousness, yet the Spirit (or rather Christ by the Spirit) I affirm does apprehend the Sinner, before the Sinner can, by Faith apprehend Christ, tho' the Union is not mutual or complete, until the Soul is reconciled to God, as well as God is reconciled unto the Soul. Friend, dare you say, that actual Justification of a Person is without Faith? you may (should you so say) affirm Men have life in them, who never eat Christ's Flesh, nor drink his Blood, which the Lord Christ says positively they have not, nor can have. Friend, were the Israelites who were stung with fiery Serpents, healed before they looked up to the Brazen Serpent, and were they to look up unto it, only to know they were healed, for so your Notion teacheth Men to believe. Moreover, Doth not a vital Union with Christ make a relative Change, as well as a real Change? Or, Are the Elect no otherwise dead in Sin and Trespasses by Nature, and Children of Wrath, but in their own Consciences? How then is it said, they were so as others are, by Nature Children of Wrath? And must not Ministers preach the Gospel to all, as undone, naked and miserable Sinners; and affirm they are condemned, and the Wrath of God abides upon them, and on all that believe not in Christ: Or, Sir, are justified Persons naked? or do you see your Error?
Godli. I will forbear to shew the great Absurdities of your Notion; 'tis well known what vile Effects it hath had on some Persons of late. Friend, I deny Faith to be any Cause or Condition of Justification to be performed by the Creature, and such as do assert it is, I dislike, as much as I dislike you.