Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A93165
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The widow's mite cast into the treasury for the repairing the breaches of the temple being an essay to explicate the sufferings of our blessed Saviour, and vindicate them from the imputation of a guilty sinner in the sight of God the father : with some reconciling paradoxes to be soberly enquired into / by J. St. N. in the 91st year of his age, a student in St. Paul's epistles.
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J. St. N. (John St. Nicholas), 1604-1698.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing S345A; ESTC R42964
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24,178
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35
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Eph. 1.13 3. That a Christian doth not walk worthy of his baptismal calling unless he endeavour after the Power which is Faith working by love to GOD and to Man in Deed and in Truth 4. That the Power is attainable by constant Prayer to our God Now it 's beyond all dispute that St. James agrees with St. Paul in the Faith as the Apostle of Christ and therefore when he says Not by Faith only he means not by the form only or the notion and profession of Faith only and when he saith by Works he doth not mean Works of the Law which Paul excludes but Works of the Power of Faith as the Instances in Abraham and Rahab shew which Works Paul includes And when he says a Man is justified by Works he means as Paul doth a Man is not only made just by Faith by the Ministry of Faith but he is also accounted a just man in the sight of God on tryal of his Faith when the power of it appears in the truth of the Work Touching the distinction of the Righteousness of our Persons into inherent and imputed This distinction seems not according to Scripture for that which was imputed to Abraham for acceptable Righteousness in the sight of God was inherent in him and it 's said Faith was imputed unto Abraham for Righteousness and not Righteousness imputed to Abraham's Faith This distinction may seem to be rectified thus Inherent Righteousness is spoken of in Scripture in reference to GOD and to Man 1. In reference to God his Righteousness is his Mercy and his Truth his Mercy in making Promises his Truth in performing Promises which is his rewarding Justice and inflicting Punishment for contempt of Mercy which is his revenging Justice Psal 98.2 3. Psal 103.17 2. In reference to Man inherent Righteousness is imputed or not imputed 1. Inherent Righteousness imputed or accounted by God for acceptable Righteousness is the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 13. 2. Inherent Righteousness not imputed of God for acceptable Righteousness in his sight 1. Is Pharasaical Righteousness Mat. 5.20 Or 2. Philosophical Righteousness Galat. 5.6 Tit. 3.5 Ephes 2.8 9. Which is also called our Righteousness Isa 64.6 our own Righteousness of the Law Phil. 3.9 the birth of the will of man John 1.13 the Flesh Rom. 4.1 And the Righteousness of Faith is also called the Righteousness of God by Faith Phil. 3.9 the Righteousness of God by Christ ministerially 2 Cor. 5.21 and Righteousness regnant Rom. 5.21 and the New Creature Gal. 6.15 which consists in a new Heart with Forgiveness Jer. 31.31 Touching the measure of Knowledge in a weak Christian If a Christian sincerely believes that God forgives his Sins for Christ's sake he humbly seeking for Mercy and do also believe the love of Christ in giving himself a Sacrifice and Offering of sweet-smelling savour unto God and be willing to follow God and Christ as a Child according to the measure of Light he hath received or may receive he may walk comfortably and joyfully in the assured hope of Eternal Life although he know very little of the method of Divine Grace or it may be misunderstand much This is gathered from the compendious expressions in Eph. 4.32 and Eph. 5.1 2. Be ye courteous and tender hearted forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake forgave you Be ye followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour unto God And we know but in part and prophecy but in part Touching the Righteousness of Christ The Righteousness of Christ the Mediator is an incomprehensible Mystery but according to our manner of conceiving the Righteousness of Christ may be said to be inherent imputed and communicated or imparted or applyed 1. Inherent is the same with the Father in Mercy and Truth I and the Father are one 2. Imputed is the Righteousness of Christ's Person imputed to the Nature of Man in his Person making his Sufferings meritorious 1 Cor. 11.24 This is my body which is broken for you Here the Son of God owns the Body or Human Nature and the Sufferings in Man's Nature to be his Acts 20.28 John 16.14 Gal. 2.20 3. Communicated Isa 45.24 They shall say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 54.17 Their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord. Jer. 23.6 They shall call him the Lord our Righteousness Psal 96.12 In righteousness shall he judge the world and his people in truth Touching admitting to the Lord's Supper The requiring admittance to the Lord's Supper upon declaring Experiences is dangerous and unknown to the first Churches The safe way of admittance is upon owning the Baptismal Faith and Engagement not denying it by Works Acts 2.41 42. Touching Election There is in Scripture a threefold Election or three degrees of it 1. Election in the Divine Purpose Eph. 1.11 2. Election in the Baptismal Calling 2 Pet. 1.10 Col. 3.12 as there was Election in the Circumcision Calling Deut. 7.7 This is called the Spiritual Beginning Gal. 3.3 the Beginning of the Good Work Phil. 1.6 and the Doctrine of the Beginnings of Christ Heb. 6.1 3. Election made sure confirmed sealed witnessed earnested by the peculiar Spirit of Adoption 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Mat. 22.14 1 Pet. 5.10 Revel 2.17 THE CONCLUSION TO THE READER THIS kind of Writing may be excused from the Words of our Apostle in Phil. 1.10 That you may discern things that differ and in 2 Tim. 2.16 Studying to divide aright the word of truth For the Church is much dis-edified by false and impertinent Distinctions And it is excusable upon this Subject from what Dr. Owen says in his Book entituled The Doctrine of Justification by Faith through the imputed Righteousness of Christ In Page 38. of that Book he saith This is the substance of what is pleaded for That Men should renounce all Confidence in themselves and every thing that may give countenance thereto betaking themselves to the Grace of God by Christ alone for Righteousness and Salvation There is nothing said here contrary to this Saying of his and what is said different to his Sentiments is excused by what he says in the last words of his Preface to the Reader his words are these Whereas saith he the principal design of this Discourse is to state the Doctrine of Justification from the Scripture and to confirm it by Testimonies thereof I shall not esteem it spoken against unless our Exposition of Scripture Testimonies and the application of them to the present Argument be disproved by Just Rules of Interpretation and another sence of them be evinced Thus he Nothing is supposed to be said here that will be offensive to any that are not too much addicted to a Party which Humour is under a severe Reprimand by our Apostle 1 Cor. 4.8 Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us and I would to God ye did reign that we might reign with you FINIS
state equal with the Jews The general notion of Redemption is also set forth by these general Expressions viz. Christ dy'd for us all he was deliver'd for our Sins he suffer'd for Sin where the word us all signifies us Men of all Nations and the word Sin or Sins signifies the natural Apostacy and frequent Actings of it That us all is meant of Men of all Nations appears in 1 Tim. 2. where all in v. 6. refers to Men. In v. 1 4. it signifies Men of all Nations It 's also observable in reference to the general notion That the Work of Redemption and Reconciliation refers to certain Times and Seasons Rom. 5.6 Christ according to the Season dy'd for the Ungodly Christ was sent in the fulness of Times Gal. 4.4 He gave himself a Ransome witnessed in the proper seasons 1 Tim. 2.6 In the dispensation of the fulness of Times God gathers or reconciles all things to himself by Christ Eph. 1.10 Here Things signifies Persons as the Substantive is often put for the Adjective the Abstract for the Concrete More Hebraico This seems to be the true Universal Redemption which the Apostle seems to comprehend in one sentence with admiration of the Wisdom and unsearchable Ways of God the sentence is this viz. God hath set up all Nations in Unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Nations in their times and turns Rom. 11.31 32. Now concerning the Personal Reconciliation and Redemption which amounts to a Personal Election As the Reconciliation of our Nature in the Person of Christ is expressed by the Blood and Death of Christ for us so our Personal Reconciliation is expressed by the Righteousness of God manifested in all and upon all that believe Rom. 3.21 22. By the Righteousness of God is meant the Faithfulness of God in performing his merciful Promises especially touching his sending Christ and the Spirit to the Gentiles The Apostle saith This is witnessed as a distinct thing in the Law and the Prophets from the Law of Works For instance in the Law this Faithfulness of God is called the Name of God Exod. 34.6 In the Psalms it 's called the Mercy and Truth of God Psal 100. 117. and the Righteousness of God Psal 71.2 15 16. Psal 103.17 and Mercy and Truth and Righteousness of God are put together Psal 98.2 3. Salvation and Mercy and Truth Righteousness and Reconciliation are join'd together Psal 85.10 11. In the Prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah this Faithfulness of God in his merciful Promises in sending Christ and his Spirit which is the ground of the New Covenant is called the Righteousness of God and his Salvation Isa 56.1 In Jeremiah it is called the New Covenant Jer. 31.31 This Righteousness of God the Apostle saith is now manifested by the Faith of Christ This Expression of the Faith of Christ is often used to signifie the preaching the Doctrine of Faith in Christ whereof Christ is the Author by his Spirit which is also called the Law of Faith Ministry of the Spirit and Ministry of Reconciliation or of reconciling our Persons to God that we may partake of the Benefit of God's being reconciled to us by the Death of Christ This manifestation of the Righteousness of God by the Faith of Christ is in us and upon us that believe It is in us This in one word is the Work of Faith in two words it 's the Similitude of the Life and Death of Christ imprinted in our Hearts in three words it's Faith Hope and Love And this Righteousness is by the Ministry of Reconciliation upon us and apply'd unto us by forgiveness of Personal Sins with inward Peace and Joy and Adoption to Eternal Life This notion of reconciling the Nature and Persons of Men runs in the Veins of the Apostle's Discourse of Justification in Rom. 3.24 he saith We are justified freely by Grace This Grace is the Law of Grace and that Law he saith is the Redemption that is by Christ This is the general notion of Christ's taking our Nature And then he adds the notion of Personal Redemption when he saith that God hath set him forth ministerially to be a Mercy-seat through Faith in his Blood for the remission of our Personal Sins Rom. 4.25 He dyed for our Sins here is the Reconciliation of our Nature and he arose for our Justification there is the Reconciliation of our Persons And in Rom. 5. from v. 6 to 10. There is an Atonement made by Christ's Death when we were Enemies in the highest degree of Apostacy ripe for Destruction this is the Atonement in our Nature And then he mentions the Atonement received which is our Personal Reconciliation That Pattern of wholsome words in Tit. 3.3 4 5 6 7 8. is very remarkable for the method of Divine Wisdom in the Na tional and Personal Reconciliation put together as it is in 2 Cor. 5. from v. 16. to the end which place gives light to this in Titus and this to that being thus paraphrased We all were sometimes foolish disobedient c. but after the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour to Mankind appeared in sending his Son in the nature of Man by him to reconcile the World to himself in doing his Will in all his Commands against all Temptations to the contrary he was pleased to save our Persons not by Works of Righteousness which we had done or Surety for us or as imputed to us in a legal way but of his meer and absolute Free Mercy making us new Creatures which he did in this method He first brought us into a state of Regeneration and then perfected the Work of Regeneration by the Ministry of his own Spirit which he poured on us the Apostles by the Intercession of Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven to the end that we being by the operation of his Grace made righteous in the Gift of a new Heart and perfect Remission of Sin as by the Spirit and Blood of Christ we might by the Spirit of Adoption be made Heirs of Eternal Life whereof we hope according to his Promise John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life In this Pattern of wholsome words our Apostle answers a Case of Conscience which every Soul is concerned in viz. How a Person that hath some time been foolish disobedient serving divers Lusts and Pleasures c. may have hope of Eternal Life He answers in effect thus much That there are three things done by Christ and three things to be done by the Sinner 1. Christ hath made an Atonement for Mankind that any that hath the Nature of Man may come to God in the way of his Mercy and in the day of Mercy 2. Christ hath provided Means of Grace to make them new Creatures which are Baptism and a Spiritual Ministry 3. When the Work of Renovation is truly wrought so as the Love of God is poured into