Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	save_v	4,872	5	7.1588	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45121	Animadversions, being the two last books of my reverend brother Mr. Williams the one entituled A postscript to Gospel-truth, the other An end of discord : conscientiously examined, in order to a free entertainment of the truth, in some momentous points in divinity, controverted among the nonconformist brethen, occasionally here determined, for the sake of those honest among us that seek it, without trick or partiality / by John Humfrey ...	Humfrey, John, 1621-1719.	1699 (1699)	Wing H3666; ESTC R16328	37,926	42

very distinguishable Having laid down what precedes I do as it were give instance in this Citation unto the which I do the more deliberately answer The Impetration of our Justification by Christs performing the Mediatory Law is indeed one thing and the Application of it by our performing the Law of the Gospel is another But Justification it self is one Omneens est unum and not two things or acts and consequently ought to be defined and understood as one act so that when in one place it is said we are justified by Christs Blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through his Blood and in others we are justified by Faith this makes yet but one act one Justification described in one place by the meritorious in the others by the formal cause thereof which both are to be put together in the Definition I must confess Mr. Baxter as I remember does ordinarily speak at your rate as if we were to be justified both by Law and Gospel and furthermore does not scruple to make as many Particular Justifications as there can be Charges laid against us but with the assertion that there is also a Justification Universal and which I apprehend the Gospel alone does yield us Indeed how to reconcile Mr. Baxter herein to his own Doctrine I must confess I have not yet observed from him but crave your help to find out In the mean time I must warn you that you understand him not after the manner you write for if indeed there are two Barrs at which we must be justified as well as two Righteousnesses that goes into our Justification If to be justified by Faith is one Justification and to be justified by Christs Blood be another so that the Believer must have both as one subordinate to the other unto which apprehension your way of expression leads then must Christs Righteousness be indeed ours in se and not only in the Effects as you appear to maintain against me and him for at one of these Barrs nothing less will serve and then must we return all three to the Road of the common Protestant Doctrine and grant that it is not by our own Works whether Legal or Evangelical no not by Faith as a Work not by Faith as productive of Repentance and New Obedience that is not by St. James's Faith and Works also but by Faith only and by Faith taken objective for Christs Righteousness made ours by Faith so as to be our Formal Righteousness or formally to justifie us And if so there may be an end of Controversies with Mr. Baxters Books as one of them is called which concern Justification his Practical Books may still be in credit but his Controversal Works may be all burnt for you who for maintaining one expression not well advised must forsake him and your self and all almost of weight that you have writ besides There is a Distinction therefore which that accurate Man Mr. Baxter who otherwise has so many does yet want as to this Point of Justification which is that Justification may be taken Strictly or Largely seeing the Scripture so speaks of it If we will take it strictly we consider only what respects the form and definition and Justification so taken is Gods constituting by his Law of Grace and accounting a Man righteous upon his believing for Christs sake or imputing his Faith for Righteousness When Justification largely taken may comprehend its Antecedents as Redemption and Consequents as Pardon and Life together with it See my Righteousness of God p. 55 56 57. In such a large sense of it Mr. Baxter and our Divines may take liberty to speak of it in such a manner as they or others do or as they please but there are these words in that Learned Gentleman Sir Charles Wolsley his Letter to me that are more accurate to my purpose than any that I most like in Mr. Baxter The Scripture says he that were written not with any relation to those nice and subtle Distinctions which Men have since used in interpreting them do chiefly intend to express their plain and genuine meaning of things and in an especial manner by various expressions of the same thing does set forth the amplitude of Gospel Salvation Justification is spoken of in Scripture sometimes in its Cause which is imputing Righteousness by Faith and sometimes in its Effect which is Pardon Therefore I am well pleased to say with you to adjust and comprehend that matter right that the formalis ratio of Justification is Gospel Faith and Obedience that is as imputed to us of God for Righteousness and taking Justification passively meaning as I and Pardon of sin as the necessary consequeent concomitant and effect of it He that will give any other account of it must I believe make use of some other Doctor than St. Paul One thing more I will note in this Postscript and have done and that is the particular p. 312. wherein you say you were ready to subscribe with Mr. Cole You look to your self indeed by such words that you may not lye but do you think your meaning and Mr. Coles can indeed stand in one Stable I will therefore express the truth of this sixth Particular for you with little alteration When a Man believes that very Faith and sincere Gospel Works which proceed from it is you say is not the matter of that Righteousness whereby you to save your Not before put in for which a sinner is justified and so intitled to Pardon and Glory Yet is the Righteousness of Christ alone that for which the Gospel gives the Believer a right to these and all saving blessings who in this respect is justified through Christ or through his Righteousness though by Faith Faith being indeed the Matter or Material Cause and Gods Imputing that Faith not Christs Righteousness to us for Righteousness the Form and Formal Cause of our Justification Reverend Brother What will be the issue of this present endeavour according to my small Ability I know not But I will end with this Story Luther one day being with Melancton Phillip says he I am afraid we are gone too far in that matter of the Sacrament Master says Melancton then let us amend and retract it No says Luther if we do so Phillip we shall be believed in nothing Alas what pity it was and what prejudice to the Protestants Cause that Luther had not hearkned to Melancton It must be no wonder therefore if you hearken not to me now in my farewell Admonition which is to chuse in this small matter of Difference between us not to follow Luther but St. Augustine who is so much commended by all for his Book of Retractations Your very respectful Brother JOHN HUMFREY Animadversions ON HIS End of Discord Learned and Worthy Sir I Wrote a Sheet or two in a Letter to Mr. Williams upon his Postscript to Gospel Truth before this later Book called An End of Discord came out I had no Answer to it nor my Copy

But the Imputation in se which Mr. Ws. thinks he has made out by his new Notion is nothing but a meer imagination thereof and not true Imputation in se and therefore an Imputation in se must be denied The Major appears and is confirmed by my second Reason and the Minor by my first laid down 4. It is apparent to all that are discerning that Mr. Ws. does agree with Mr. Baxter and me in our Opinion so far as concerns the Brethren that is that in the sense of the Imputation they hold he is against them as much as we and unless what he hath invented be another there is no other Imputation in se but theirs 5. The going about to cover this Agreement with us by his new devised Notion which none else ever had or yet understood and that which will never hold must needs betray him to a deeper censure than he deserves and lay him but the more open to any Pen that shall be employed to expose him Not that I call this New Notion only a Cover if it prove the thing he counts it to do but so long as it proves it not it is no other 6. It is not for a man of gravity to play the Child which hides its head in the Mothers Apron and thinks that no body sees him as if the Vail of this perplexed Conception should be a safeguard to Mr. Ws. against the Assaults of any Enemy which it is like rather to provoke and will afford him no more Armour against them than a Cobweb which every Wasp and such he must look for will break through when some silly Flies are entangled with it 7. The only thing that he can say to excuse himself to good men when they see his Notion insignificant and which perhaps does satisfie him fully now is that by this Devise he does prevent or endeavour to prevent the Offence of the Weak Brethren who are not able to digest stronger Meat But here will be the Question Whether he does not herein symbolize with Peter who for fear of displeasing the Jews by eating with the Gentiles did really scandalize the Gentiles by withdrawing and made Paul reprove him Let Mr. Ws. examine this to the bottom it concerns him not me for he must give an account thereof to God 8. He does a kind of open wrong to me and Mr. Clark and Mr. Baxter by giving occasion to such as have a regard to him or his Books to account us Heterodox while he sets himself and the Brethren on one side and us upon the other even in that wherein he agrees with us but only that he is warpt by his Notion that makes nothing indeed for the Brethren nor against us though there were as he thinks something indeed in it Whereas if he did stand by us as of his Party it would hearten them to own us also so as it would in time render the Offence insignificant and the Acknowledgment honourable as the name Christian now is that was otherwise 9. When the Brethren accuse him for Agreement with Mr. Baxter and he instead of confessing the same does say they wrong him as Peter said the Damsel did in accusing him for one being with Christ and flies to his Notion which if it would hold he should not yet do for he agrees with us for all that Is this like a Disciple of Mr. Baxter who never baulked speaking his mind out of fear of loss either of Reputation Money or Life 10. The Case is brought in the Contests of the present day to a kind of Case of Confession whether we are for an Imputation in se or Quoad Effectus and if any that are leading men instead of a plain owning of the Truth as they conceive it shall use any shift to save that Confession and when there is no need I cannot but remember I do not apply that Text. Ye are they who justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God 11. By Mr. Ws. new Notion he is not only kept himself from the Confession which he is bound to make when brought to it that is against an Imputation in se but it does keep others though they be convinced in their Judgments and believe as we from confessing or professing the same also And if any will not confess the Truth as they believe in their heart if they be put to it before men when there is no danger but of Credit how will they confess their Faith if there were danger of Life If a man does shrink at being a Confessor how will he abide the being a Martyr And how shall be that is Truth confess him before God their Father in Heaven Not that I would have any think that Mr. Ws. uses a phrase against his Judgment for I believe he apprehends something verily in his Notion that proves an Imputation in se which I apprehend not when yet that belief does prove him an honest man which I do apprehend and signifie so much to prevent my sinning against my Brother by giving occasion to any of thinking of him otherwise from what I write 12. If any good Christian shall say to me I am offended that you and Mr. Baxter deny the Imputation of Christs Righteousness I will answer Mr. Baxter and I do hold the Imputation of Christs Righteousness as much as really can be held that is an Imputation as to the Effects If one says unless you grant more he will be offended still I will say again there is there can be no such thing as that Christs Righteousness should be really or in se ours and when we grant that it is Relatively ours that is ours in regard to the Benefits or Effects as the Ransom-money is the Captives in his Liberty it is all that can be said or desired And if any be offended for all that then I say Is he offended let him alone 13. As for the phrase of Imputation then though it be not in Scripture I mean in regard to Christs Righteousness let no body mistake us we allow it Our Divines do use it Mr. Ws. may use it Mr. Baxter is for it they wrong him and me if any say we are against it But as for an Imputation in se if Mr. Ws. will use that pl●ase and the Brethren with others follow him this is an Offence given of another nature than that of displeasing men for in the sense the Brethren and others use it it is an Error in Mr. Ws's own account and so he does and says that in pleasing men there is the danger which gives them occasion to Err or continue in their Errour This is a real and certainly forbidden scandal which might be shewn out of the eighth Chapter of the first to the Corinthians unto which we must not say Let them alone Scandalum est dictum vel factum minus rectum praebens alteri occasionem ruinae 14. Mr. Ws.