Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	faith_n	justification_n	justify_v	18,040	5	9.2485	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79465	Anti-Socinianism, or, A brief explication of some places of holy Scripture, for the confutation of certain gross errours, and Socinian heresies, lately published by William Pynchion, Gent. in a dialogue of his, called, The meritorious price of our redemption, concerning 1. Christ's suffering the wrath of God due to the elect. 2. God's imputation of sin to Christ. 3. The nature of the true mediatorial obedience of Christ. 4. The justification of a sinner. Also a brief description of the lives, and a true relation of the death, of the authors, promoters, propagators, and chief disseminators of this Socinian heresie, how it sprung up, by what means it spread, and when and by whom it was first brought into England, that so we be not deceived by it. / By N. Chewney, M.A. and minister of God's Word.	Chewney, Nicholas, 1609 or 10-1685.	1656 (1656)	Wing C3804; Thomason E888_1; ESTC R207357	149,812	257

he brings home and applyes unto our Souls the righteousness of Christ for our justification both as he is the Spirit of regeneration working in us the grace of faith by which we receive Christ for our justification in foro Caelesti before God and also as he is the Spirit of adoption confirming this faith in us together with the assurance of our justification by which we are freed and acquitted in foro conscientiae within our selves that is by the testimony of an upright sincere and rectified conscience The instrumental causes of justification are either external or internal external such is the Word of God the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and is therefore called o Rom. 1.16 the very power of God to salvation in which respect Ministers are said to justifie because as Daniel tells us p Dan. 12.3 they convert many to righteousness being instruments though poor and weak in themselves q Media perfecta ad quae ordinantur that God is pleased to make use of for this purpose and by whom those that are ordained unto life are brought to believe r 1 Cor. 3.5 For by the preaching of the Gospel seconded and made powerful by the operation of the Holy Ghost the sentence of justification and remission of sins and so consequently of eternal life and salvation is pronounced and concluded in the conscience of the faithfull such the Sacraments also ſ Tit. 3.5 not by works of righteousness which we have done saith St. Paul but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost For first in them the benefit of the Messias is presented before us and by those outward signs discerned by us in which respect the Sacrament is called Verbum visibile a word which is visible Secondly such is the Sacramental Union between the sign and the thing signified which is Christ together with all the train and quire of his graces as also all his merits offered to us Thirdly this transcendent benefit of the Messias is not only offer'd in the Lawfull and commendable use of the Sacraments but is also given to and conferr'd upon every faithfull partaker thereof In this sense the Sacrament of Baptisme is said to be the seal of that righteousness which is by faith as the Apostle calleth circumcision t Rom. 4.11 The internal cause of justification is not hope though hope maketh not ashamed not charity though it be faiths almoner and shall be rewarded of God u Prov. 19.17 not fear though it restrain us from sin not repentance though it be the gift of God by which we wipe out the old score of our sins past and resolve to glorifie God for the time to come but faith and faith only by which we overcome the World and that not in respect of its existency as Socinus would fain have it and doth earnestly plead for it w Imputatur nobis fides à Deo pro Justitia c. in Dialog de Iustif but in respect of apprehension and the faculty of application as that which is alone though it never be found alone without the company and attendance of other graces a convenient instrument fitted for the laying hold upon the righteousness of Christ And yet for all this faith is not to be considered in the Act of justification either dispositively or habitually or formally or meritoriously or in the kind and nature of a work but in part organically in regard of its Act and in part correlatively in regard of its object Whence the Apostle wisely disposing his words as being directed by the Spirit of Wisdome it self which cannot miscarry saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x Rom. 5.1 we are justified through faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for faith Hitherto the Dialogue and we walk together passilus aequis as it were hand in hand neither of us stepping aside with Socinus in the place fore-quoted and some other of his followers y Non innocentiam aut justiam Christi credentibus imputat Deus sed fidem illorum imputat illis pro justitia Smalcius in disputat contr Fran. to take up this ball which they have cast in our way that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith it self or the very Act of believing doth properly justifie yet if he be acquainted with Socinian John as I believe he is a●mighty stickler in this case he may soon be drawn away and easily perverted to comply with him and his party even in this matter also But now partes locus est ubi se via findit in ambas we come to the pinch indeed in which we shall discover where and upon what terms we are constrained to part company The matter or meritorious cause of our justification is the next thing that is to be considered by us which is neither the habit of charity or the exercise thereof but only the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Mediator And here here it is that we must part and not so fairly as may be expected For though the distance be small at the Center yet 't is many times found to be wide enough by that time it come to the circumference So the difference at first may seem small that is between us but being duly considered is so great that we can by no means give our consent of compliance For the Dialogue using that faculty here which in many other places he shews his dexterity in namely disputandi de non concessis chargeth us with that which we never held and which is more never mean to do if it please God to keep us in our right mind that so he may take occasion without occasion to quarrel w●th us thinking thereby to shew his valour in the eyes of his great admirers fighting though it be but with his own shadow and yet now and then giving a slanting blow even at the Justice of God himself Who ever heard any of us whom God hath established in his truth and made and constituted faithfull dispensers of the same so much as whisper among our selves much lesse publish it abroad that the active righteousness of Christ alone * Justitia Jesu Christi per quam justificamur coram Deo est perfectissimato tius Legis Divinae obedientia Polani Syntag. that is that obedience which he performed to the Law doth justifie a sinner before God We never said it we never thought it and therefore all the pains he hath herein taken to confute us or rather to blast us and the truth in us under the pretence of confutation might very well have bin spared and the time better spent but some will be doing though it be to no purpose and how can we keep company with those that charge us with such assertions which we utterly disclaim and cast such aspersions on us which we did never deserve Again God cannot do this God cannot in Justice do that

form be a righteousness then one righteousness enforms another and hereupon they set themselves against this Doctrine of imputation and cry out of a great absurdity in it We answer Answ for they can never stop our mouths * We still have Peliadae stomachum cedere nescij that here is vox praeterea nihil nothing but clamour and noise words without matter For we deny the consequence we deny what ever they say or can say against it there is no such necessity for that that the form must needs be a righteousness We affirm and that openly without juggling or imposture for we care not who know it for any absurdity there is to be found in it that the application of that righteousness is the form And therefore to set the saddle upon the right Horse 't is they that make and 't is they must beare the absurdity with the shame and reproach that followeth thereupon What need we any more words How slightly soever the Dialogue and his Socinians think or speak of this comfortable Doctrine of imputation we would have them know it was a truth before any of their cradles were made and will be a truth whether they will or no when their coffins shall be rotten yet if any indifferently disposed to truth do desire further satisfaction herein I shall refer them to Bishop Downames treatise of Justification h Lib. 4. 5. and to Bishop Davenants prelections de Justitia habituali i Quaest 3. gen de formiali causa justif which will sufficiently confirm them in this high and excellent truth We find in Scripture that Michael Davids Wife by the just judgment of God upon her for deriding the holy zeal of her Husband was made barren yet if we observe the course of the World shee may be said to have many Children among whom our Dialogue for one with the rest of his Socinian brethren who scorne and deride this necessary * Nullos pro justis approbat Deus nisi quos prius verè ac summè non in ipsis sed in Christo suo seu imputata Christi justitia justificat Bek in Rom. 4.25 and comfortable Doctrine of a sinners justification by the imputation of his Redeemers righteousness unto him having none of his own to trust to throwing dirt in the faces of those that to Gods glory and the comfort of poor souls who were otherwise utterly undone do assert and maintain the same But with what advantage to themselves or prejudice to us let the World judge by these ensuing arguments which me thinks make it so plain to every understanding Christian as if it were described and discovered by a ray of the Sun that there is none but may even run and read it The first argument then we take from the Words of the Apostle k Rom. 4.6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works Here is righteousness and righteousness in expresse terms said to be imputed What righteousness can in this place be understood other then the righteousness of Christ For either our own proper righteousness is imputed to us or else the righteousness of some other But not our own righteousness because works are wholly excluded from justification besides he which is justified is said to be ungodly in whom before justification there is no proper righteousness at all Therefore it must necessarily be understood of the righteousness of another that is Christ Secondly from the imputation of faith as the same Apostle in the same Epistle l Rom. 4.5 speaking concerning him that believeth expresseth it thus his faith is counted to him for righteousness not as it is a work for as we said but now all works are here excluded and faith imputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without works and as it apprehendeth Christ and his righteousness by which alone we are constituted and made just as is further proved Rom. 5.19 concerning which we shall by Gods leave speak more annon Thirdly from that place of our Apostle to the Galatians m Gal. 3.6 c. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Know ye therefore saith our Apostle that they which are of faith the same are the Children of Abraham c. where is cleerly expressed what kind of faith it was * Quae habetur Christo vel quae Christo nititur Hoc enim addendum fuit ne quis existimaret fidem esse illud quod justificat quam sit duntaxat instrumentam quo Christum justitiam nostram apprehendimus Bez. that was imputed to Abraham for righteousness namely such a faith as had respect unto Christ as vers 13. is manifest Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law apprehending and applying his obedience even unto the death of the crosse by which he became a curse for us Fourthly from the Philippians 3.8 9. Yea doubtlesse saith St. Paul I account all things but losse and dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the ●aw but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Where to our righteousness is opposed the righteousness of ●aith in Christ which is no other way to be made ours but by imputation and is in the act of justification imputed to us So that we are justified not as having any proper righteousness of our own but as having by faith the righteousness of Christ by which we are found righteous in him Whence it is cleer that the righteousness of Christ which is apprehended by faith and applyed to our own particular interest is by the Apostles testimony that righteousness that very righteousness which is imputed to us Fiftly from that classick place n Rom. 5.18.19 As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation Even so by the righteousness of one the free gifts came upon all men unto justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Whence we briefly argue thus If by the obedience of Christ only we are made just it is necessary not that our righteousness but the righteousness or obedience of Christ should be imputed to us for our justification But we are justified by the righteousness of Christ only Therefore it is necessary that it should be imputed to us Sixtly from those words of the Apostle o Rom. 8.3 4. for what the Law could not do in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c. Whence the argument is this If the righteousness of the Law be fulfilled in us as Christ performed it which was impossible for us in like manner the fulfilling of the Law performed

which we are to speak for which purpose neither Cicero Terence Caesar nor any of those who were the first and purest Authours of the Latine tongue were ever acquainted with this word Justificare which is now in use among us and with which at this time we have to do We must therefore seek farther and look higher if we mean to be truly certified hereof and fully satisfied herein Omitting then all others we will only pitch upon two places the one in the Old the other in the New-Testament as the aptest in my judgment of all other for this purpose The one that of the Wiseman e Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Here is the Word it self and its opposite the Word it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying * Absolvere to absolve or free the opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing * Improbificare si ita liceret loqui i. e. condemnare ad supplicum tradere to condemne or to deliver over to just and condigne punishment They are both Judicial terms exercised or used in judgment holden on such weighty matters as touch the life or death of the person concerned or engaged The other answerable hereunto is that of St. Paul Rom. 8.33 where he propounds the question Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect and rather then we shall go away without an answer he himself as best able for to do it will furnish us Surely none None indeed can justly do it to which he adds a reason to the purpose For it is God that justifieth The Apostle in this place makes a bold challenge in the behalf of all the Elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who can accuse them or call them into question or is there any thing that can be laid against them And yet we see they do not want accusers the Devil is ready at hand to do it the Law of Moses will do it yea rather then fail their own consciences will do it But what says the Apostle al this is to no purpose For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is God that justifies that is frees them from all these accusers and their accusations too yea absolves them from the guilt of sin not imputing it to them but imputing the righteousness which is by faith For the Apostle opposeth justification to condemnation here as Solomon also did before Even here also are two actions of judgment set before us The one charging a man with guilt or crime of which being justly convicted doth pronounce the sentence of the Law against him The other opposite to both these absolving and acquitting him from guilt and punishment doth declare and publish him to be just and righteous This is a matter of high concernment and to speak the very truth there cannot but be a great deal of difficulty in defining things of this nature We will not therefore trust to our selves or any abilities in us as thinking it sufficient to trade with our own stock in a business of so much consequence but will rather as the man of Macedonia call for help and see where or how we may best supply our selves And behold here is one at hand that is both able and willing to furnish us of whom we will make use at present for I suppose we cannot mend our selves look where we will with such a definition of Justification as may be justified in all the parts thereof which is this it is saith he an act of God whereby he acquitteth every penitent and believing sinner not imputing to him his sins but imputing to him the perfect satisfaction and righteousness of Christ There is not any part of this definition but is Scripture proof as we shall see God willing by degrees hereafter In the mean time having seen what is meant by the word Justification as also the nature and definition thereof we passe on to the next thing proposed by us namely the causes which as in all other things so in this are four to wit the Efficient Material Formal and Final The Efficient causes of a sinners Justification are of two sorts either principal or instrumental the principall is God both essentially the whole Trinity g Isa 43.25 Rom. 3.26 I even I am he that blot out thy transgressions and also personally The Father h Rom. 8.33 That He namely God the Father might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus The Son also testifieth this of himself i Matt. 9.6 saying the Son of man hath power to forgive sins and so to justifie these that were ungodly The Holy Ghost performeth this too k 1 Cor. 6.11 And such wretches by reason of iniquity were some of you even guilty of the same impieties but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our ●ord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God For seeing this work is of that kind which by the Schools is termed ad extra an outward action of God it is common to all the three Persons And yet it is distinct too in regard of the order and manner of working as also the terms and limits of operation whence the Act of justifying is antonomastically ascribed to the Father the merit thereof to the Son and the application of this merit to the Holy Ghost So that God the Father justifieth as the primary cause and as being the Authour thereof God the Son as the meritorious cause and God the Holy Ghost as the cause applicatory and brought home to the justified persons conscience in the comfortable assurance thereof So that the whole amounts to thus much God the Father through the Son doth justifie us by the Holy Ghost The Father I say as the principal cause and that in two respects 1. In that he gave his only begotten Son for us and set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud that all that believe in him should be justified as the Apostle witnesseth m Rom. 3.25 2. In that he absolveth those that so believe and pronounceth them just in Christ The Son as the Mediator and meritorious cause and that also in two respects 1. As he his our Surety who paid our debt our Redeemer who laid down the price of our redemption for us n Isa 53.11 affording unto us both the matter and the merit of our justification 2. As he is our Intercessor and Advocate to plead for us that his merits may be imputed to us For though the sufferings of Chr●st be a precious salve to cure our Souls yet we cannot look for healing by them unlesse they be applyed and though his righteousness be a wedding garment sufficient in it self to cover all our Spiritual nakedness yet will it not clothe us unlesse it be put on Therefore in the third place the Holy Ghost is said to justifie us because