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	word_n	14,132	5	4.8692	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38139	A short review of some reflections made by a nameless author upon Dr. Crisp's sermons, in a piece entituled Crispianism unmask'd with some remarks upon the union in the late agreement in doctrin among the dissenting ministers in London : subscribed the 16th of December, 1692, and that as referring unto the present debates ... / by Thomas Edwards, esq.	Edwards, Thomas, fl. 1693-1699.; Crisp, Tobias, 1600-1643.	1693 (1693)	Wing E236; ESTC R31409	64,054	46

this day He says My second is that which is procured for any one thereunto he hath a right The thing that is obtained is granted by him of whom it is obtained and that to them for whom it is obtained To this is answered 1. In the Margent that I should make Appendix to Dr. Owen 's Answer to Biddle p. 35. great Changes in England if I could make all the Lawyers believe this strange Doctrine but of what the Lawyers believe or do not believe Mr. B. is no Competent Judge be it spoken without Disparagement for the Law is not his study I who perhaps have much less skill than him self will be bound at any time to give him Twenty Cases out of the Civil and Cannon Law to make good this Assertion which if he knows not that it may be done he ought not to speak with such Confidence of these things Nay amongst our own Lawyers whom perhaps he intends I am sure I may be informed that if a M●n intercede with another to settle his Land by conveyance to a third Person giving him that Conveyance to keep in trust until the time come that he should by the Intention of the Conveyer enjoy the Land though he for whom it is granted have not the least knowledge of it yet he hath such a Right unto the Land thereby created as cannot be disanull'd This is the very thing for which it is that Dr. Crisp brings in this Text and Beza's Annotation thereupon and that in the very Page whence the Charge is fetcht Namely that Justification is truly and properly the work of God himself and cannot be the work of Faith Nay he goes farther Suppose says he Dr. Crisp's Works Vol. 2. Pag. 325. you should have the words to run as they are commonly render'd I answer Then are we to distinguish in Faith of two things there is the Act it self of believing and the Object on which we do believe and so the words may be understood thus Being justified by the Righteousness of Faith or by the Righteousness of Christ which we do believe We have Peace with God and so ascribe our Justification to the Object of our believing the Righteousness of Christ and not to the Act of Believing The truth is Beloved the Act of Believing is a Work and as much our Work as our Fear and Prayer and love is and the Apostle should contradict himself when he saith We are saved by Grace through Faith not of Works if he mean the Act of Faith And he might as well have said We are not justified by Works but we are justified by Works This he further distinguishes in the same Page unto which I refer thee which our Author with various huffing Reflections and rotten Inferences most partially and falsly quotes in his 6th and 7th Pages That to be short there is not only a distinction between the Act and Object of Faith and that as properly relating unto our Justification and Righteousness therein but also to God's Act of our Justification in Heaven as fully Precedaneous to the termination thereof in Conscience Dr. Owen upon the 1 Cor. 1. 30. in his refutation of Socinus and Bellarmine tells us That Christ is made of God Righteousness unto us in such a way and manner as the nature of the thing doth require Say some it is because by him we are justified However the Text says not That by him we are justified but he is of God made Righteousness unto us which is not our Dr. Owen of Justification p. 502. Justification but the Ground Cause and Reason whereon we are justified Righteousness is one thing and Justification is another Now either this Righteousness is in an eternal decretive and material sense truly and irrevocably theirs before they believe or upon what Grounds is it that God can be reckoned just in his justifying of them even when they believe But there is a secret grub lies at the bottom of all this our Author's Indignation which we must endeavour to find out See Dr. Owen against Mr. Baxter in the fore-mentioned Appendix Now I say that in the sense wherein I affirm that Justification is terminated in Conscience I may yet also affirm and that suitably to the utmost Intention Dr. Owen 's Appendix against Mr. Baxter in his Answer to Biddle pag. 19. of mine in that expression that Justification by Faith is not a knowledge or feeling of Justification before given nor a Justification in or by our own Consciences but somewhat that goes before all such Justification as this is and is a Justification before God And is not this true How many scores of our ancient solid Reformers might be brought in to attest this truth wherein and whereby they distinguish'd themselves in a Fundamental sense as Protestants from Papists But it seems as our Author thinks Dr. Crisp did not pitch upon a right Text in this of Rom. 5. 1. though it and it s Context undeniably prove he did to fix this his Discrimination upon and therefore alters the Scene of the Charge against him i e. from a distinguishing to a confounding Explication p. 7. where he to his own Admiration no doubt Learnedly explains Gal. 3. 24. for if the Apostle's Sense or Meaning be the same in one place of his Epistles as well as in another when he speaks more especially of being justified by Faith which our Author firmly asserts why then should he make a distinction between the Act and Object of Faith from Gal. 3. 24. which he denies unto the same Apostle from Rom. 5. 1. in Beza's Interpretation and the Doctor 's Quotation of him for that end A strong Memory I see is exceeding requisite for a Lying and Prevaricating Spirit This is not far unlike the Devil's Proceedings with Job who when he saw that his Accusation of him before God for an Hypocrite did not prove true or hold Water then does he slily seek by his Wife in an Instrumental Sense to cause him to part with his Integrity Just thus it is that our Author most shamefully spews out his own Treachery Dr. Goodwin upon Eph. 2. 6. saith that Our Salvation is in God's Gifts and in Christ's personating of us mark this piece of Crispianism and apprehending of us it is perfect and compleat though in our Persons as in us it is wrought by degrees Further. pag. 218 219. He Doct. Goodwin upon the Epistle to the Eph. ch 2. 6. p. 217 218. 219. tells us You see the distinction between in Christ and with Christ we are said to be quickned with Christ why because that Work as it is wrought in Christ once for us hath now some Accomplishment in us but speaking of the Resurrection to come he does not say we are raised up in Christ but raised up with Christ do but learn to distinguish for the want of this makes many Men to mistake A Man before he is called he is justified in Christ but not with Christ that is

thus and thus Holily and do these and these Works they shall come under Wrath at least God will be angry with them what do we in this but abuse the Scriptures These are his very words saith our Author from p. 559. so they are indeed but not wholly his words nor sense which are as follows If they should terrifie them and make them to believe being Believers for of those I speak if they commit these and these Sins they shall be damned and so come under the wrath of God Then comes our Author in with his Charge before-cited leaving out also what follows as that we undo all that Christ hath done we injure and wrong the Believers themselves we tell that God he lies to his Face for if we tell Believers that except they do these and these good Works they shall come under the Wrath of God what is this but to tell God he lies and to bring the Faithful under a Covenant of Works Look into the 54th of Isaiah ver the 9th and you shall see how it is a belying of God to say that Believers may come under Wrath and Damnation except they do thus and thus Further he quotes the Doctor p. 363 364. very partially omitting what introduces the same namely that some conclude that Elect Persons are in a damnable estate in the time they walk in excess of Riot before they are called Where the Doctor speaking of the nature of Election he wholly omits his purpose therein and therefore also he leaves out what immediately follows which he knew would have overthrown his design viz. It is true such an Elect Person not called is never able to know individually of himself that he is such an one that God hath nothing to charge upon him because till calling God gives not unto Persons to believe and it is only believing that is evidence to Dr. Crisp ' s Works Vol. II. Serm. 9. Pag. 364. Men of things not seen Things that are not seen are hidden and secret and shall not be known I mean the things of God's Love to Men shall not be known to particular Men till they do believe but considering their real condition the Lord hath not one sin to charge upon an elect Person from the first moment of conception till the last minute of his Life there is not so much as Original Sin to be laid on him and the Ground is The Lord hath laid it on Christ already He did lay Sins on him When did he lay them on him When did he pay the first price of them Now suppose this Person uncall'd commits Iniquity and that this Iniquity is charged upon him seeing that his Iniquities are laid upon Christ already how comes it to pass that they are charged upon this elect Person again How come they to be translated from Christ again and laid upon this Person Once they were laid upon Christ it must be confessed For the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sins 1 Joh. 1. 7. saith the Apostle and by one Sacrifice he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Was there by one Act of Christ the expi●tion of Sin and all at once that are commited from the beginning of the World to the end thereof how comes it to pass that this and that Sin should be charged upon the Elect Persons when they were laid upon Christ long before He did by that one Act of his expiate all our Sins or did not If he did not expiate them fully then he did not save to the utmost all them that come to God by him But if he did then all Iniquity is vanished and gone he did extract it out ●s some Plaister of excellent Virtue doth extract out the Venom of a plague-sore So Christ by once offering up himself did take away and evaporate all the Sins of the Elect at once Again our Author to level his secret Armisian stroke against Election here as formerly against the Doctrin of Justification in the materi●● Righteousness thereof he defiles and pollutes if possible even Scripture it self and 〈◊〉 li●e a bold Impostor for it to speak for him and against its Divine Author and in order 〈…〉 he cites Eph. 2. 13. chap. 1. 1. chap. ● 2 12 13 14 15 16. 〈◊〉 2 3. John 3. 36. and from hence concludes Observe it ●efore they were converted they were Strangers and Aliens Crispi unmask'd Pag. 36. they were with at Christ without God without Hope they were at Enmity with the Father and the Son and there was no more to be laid to their charge at that time than to the glorified Saints above When they were without Christ in the time of their Unregeneracy and living in all Excess of Riot were they not only in God's Favour but as much as the Saints in Glory How then was Christ their Peace How is it said they were reconciled v. 16. Reconciliation supposes falling out it implies being at enmity Those who are now reconciled and made Friends were once Strangers and Enemies and were they at that very time Favourites of God yea as great Favourites as the blessed glorified Spirits Who hath the Confidence to say this but Dr. Crisp And who hath a Heart to believe it but one that dis-believes the plain Testimony of Holy Scripture Hence observe Reader the Doctor having spoken of Election apart and therein in●lusively notes That as such it is a Doctrinal Truth wherein the irrefragable safety and unerring security of all such comprehended therein doth radically lie and this arising from a distinguishing love in God whence a further free act of his Grace towards them did spring and that in sending his only begotten Son into the World as their representative Head charged with their Sin to remove the same upon the performance of which inferred from the word upon the Cross It is finished a door passage or entrance was made or laid open without the least impeachment of any of the Attributes of God for the actual conveying in a way of Application by faith that Reconciliation Life and Peace that God had in store for them from all Eternity therefore said to be in Christ reconciling them unto himself even before they become by faith reconciled unto him for it is not Faith that gives a being unto this Reconciliation in God no nor yet the Blood of Christ himself though it make way to the uttermost for the communication of the same without which it would have been for ever hid even from the Elect but receives it which the Apostle expresly declares to be the very Ministry given unto him and others and adds hereunto the reason thereof the so much despised fundamental truth this day by way of encouragement to bring poor sinners in Dr. Crisp's own method for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. Now doth it follow that because the Elect

entituled The Agreement in Doctrin among the Dissenting Ministers in London Subscribed Decemb. 16. 1692. And that as referring unto the present Debates against the Dissenting Ministers justly and very wretchedly occasioned by one Mr. Daniel Williams in a most corrupt piece of his called Gospel Truth Stated and Vindicated wherein some of Dr. Crisp's Opinions are consider'd and the Opposite Truths are plainly Stated and Confirmed By the said Author On the which Pamphlet together with the Circumstances attending it I crave my Christian Liberty to fix my Remarks the cause in Hand being every Man's concern whilst he has either a regard to the Glory of God the welfare of his own Soul or the faithful and undaunted Service that he owes unto his Generation Non soli mihi natus eram and so leave shall every one to determine for himself though in my Judgment I must confess all things considered I never met with a more useless un-intelligible and yet ins●aring Engine in all my days But before we proceed I shall offer thee Dr. Owen's Opinion in things of this nature It is an Agreement in words and the outward found Dr. Owen on Hebr. Vol. II. Exercit. p. 127. of them but the Belief and Profession of the same Truths or Things that is alone to be valued all that is beyond such an Agreement being left at Peace in the Province of Mutual Forbearance An Agreement in words only Parrots may learn and it will be better amongst them than that which is only so amongst Men because they have no mind to act dissenting and contradicting Principles but as for Men to declare their assent unto a certain form of words and in the mean time in their Minds and Understandings expresly to judge and condemn the Faith and Apprehensions of one another about these very things is a matter that no way tends to the Union Peace or Edification of the Church For instance suppose a form of words expressing in general that Christ was an High Priest that the Acts of the Priesthood being Oblation and Intercession Christ in like manner offered himself to God and maketh Intercession for us that hereby he purgeth expiateth and doth away all our sins with many more expressions to the same purpose should be drawn up and subscribed by the Socinians and their Adversaries as they can safely do on all Hands will this in the least further any Agreement or Unity between us whilst we not only disagree about the sense of all these Terms and Expressions but believe that things absolutely distant and inconsistent with one another yea destructive of one another are intended in them Again the same Author saith Considering the Agreement in all Fundamental Articles of Faith between these Churches thus at difference and of what great use their Union might be unto the Protestant Religion Dr. Owen 's Enquiry into the Original Nature Justification Power Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches p. 300. both as unto its Spiritual and Political Interest in this World the effecting of such an Union among them hath been attempted by many Private Persons Princes Coll●quies or Synods of some of the Parties at variance have sedulously engaged herein I wish they had never missed it in stating the Nature of that Union which in this is alone desirable and alone attainable nor in the Causes of that disadvantageous difference that was between them For hence it is come to pass that although some Verbal Compositions have sometimes by some been consented unto yet all things continue practically amonst them as they were from the beginning And there are yet Persons who are managing Proposals for such an Union with great Projection in point of Method for the compassing of it and stating of the Principles of Agreement some whereof I have by me But the present State of things in Europe with the Minds of Potentates not concerned in these things leave little encouragement for such Attempt for any expectation of any success After the Trial and Experience of an Hundred and Fifty Years it is altogether in vain to be expected that any farther Reconciliation or Union should be effected between these Protestant Churches by either Parties Relinquishment of the Doctrins they have so long taught professed and contended for or of their Practise in Divine Worship which they have so long been accustomed unto We may as well expect a River should run backwards as expect any such things Pag. 302 That all these differing Churches and whilst these Differences do continue be taught to prefer their general I●terest in opposition unto the Kingdom of Satan and Antichrist in the World before the lesser things wherin they differ and those occasion●l Animosities that will ensue upon them It hath been observed in many places that the nearer some Men or Churches come together in their Pag. 302 303. Profession the more distant they are in their Affections as the Lutheraus in many places do more hate the Calvinists than the Papists I hope it is not so by us This makes it evident that the want of necessary Peace and Vnion amongst Churches doth not proceed from the things themselves wherein they differ but from the Corrupt Lusts and I●terests of the Persons that differ This Evil can no otherwise be cured but by such a Reformation as shall in some measure reduce Primitive Simplicity Integrity and Love such as were among the Churches of the converted Jews and Gentiles when they walked according unto the same Rule in what they had attained forbearing one another in Love as unto the things wherein they differed Until this also be effected all endeavours for further Union whilst these differences continue as they are like to do unless the whole frame of things in Europe should be changed by some great Revolution will be fruitless and useless Were this conscientiously insisted on out of a pure Love unto Jesus Christ with Zeal for his Glory it would not only be of more use than innumerable wrangling Disputes about the points in difference but more than the exactest Methods in contriving Formularies of Consent or Colloquies or Synodical Conferences of the Parties at variance with all their Solemnities Orders Limitations Precautions Concessions and Orations Let Men say what they will it must be the Revival Flourishing and Exercise of Evangelical Light Faith and Love that shall heal the Differences and Breaches that are among the Churches of Christ nor shall any thing else be honoured with any great influence in that work From the whole of what our truly worthy Eleazer Dr. Owen has laid before us I would gather thus much who so stood in the 2 Sam. 23. 10. comp Dr. Owen 's Discourse of the Glory of Christ Part 1. Pref. latter end cause of his Lord and Master till his Hand was weary and yet quitted it not but clave unto the Sword yea though dead yet still speaketh in the great Victory the Lord wrought by him even such as that the People have little more to do save

to return after him only to the spoil That whatever attempts may be made after an Agreement between Dissenting Parties by a Subscrition of Articles true in the real form and verbal the matter thereof yet if the scopal design genuin energy and unsophystieated truths contained thereof be not attended unto and that as arising from a divine clear irresistible and yet Heart-bowing and bending Conviction upon the Conscience will be so far from terminating in their satisfaction as that indeed thereby all such Hypocritical measure being abhorred of God sooner or later a wider gap of Difference will be opened and also deeper and more lasting Exasperations issue from the same Nay such is the watchful and careful Eye of God over and towards even his cajoled and deceived ones that if they will still suffer themselves to be decoyed and gulled by the fair and yet empty pretences of a certain sort of professors he will by one Providence or another as he did by Lot even Fire them out from amongst such Associates which he has truly begun and that with the Fire of his own Sanctuary kindled already for tho' the Embers thereof may seem to be covered for the present by the nasty Ashes of a pretended empty Agreement cast upon them yet in due time he will break through the same by such a flame as shall openly proclaim his Zeal and his being cloathed therewith as a Cloak for his own G●ory establish and confirm his upright ones and bring a dreadful Terror upon the Hypocrites in Zion I come not to bring Peace but the Sword Now the Question to the point in hand will naturally follow namely What it is from or in this Paper of Agreement that should provoke any Man's Pen to drop so much Dislatisfaction against the same and especially considering that so many and so much differing Ministers in their Persuasions have been thereby brought into a seeming open and external coalescency one with another Unto which I shall give thee my thoughts and attend thy better Information as 1. The first Ground of my Dissatisfaction herein is that the Difference in hand as to the Matter is not at all decided or attempted to be decided by this Paper of Agreement but a difference be●ween Persons wherein it appears that the interest of Man is absolutely and that by way of just consequence preferred to the Interest of Christ whose glory in his abstracted and unmixed Truths must it seems be thereby postponed to the carnal welfare and glaring Peace or Prosperity of Man as On Decem● 19. 1692. This Expedient was brought to a Meeting of the Vnited Ministers who unanimously expressed their Approbation in the following Words viz. That these Brethren who at the Desire of the Vnited Ministers considered Paper of Agreement Page 16. some Objections against Mr. Williams his Book having brought in the above mentioned Expedient for the Accommodation of the Matters in Controversie The Vnited Ministers have weighed it and approve of the same Besides it was further declared by them That whereas the Vnited Ministers Collectively considered and as such have not been desired to Approve of Mr. Williams his Book In like manner they do not by any thing in this Agreement imply an Approbation of Mr Chauncy his Writings in this Controversie But yet they do rejoice that both Mr. Williams and Mr. Chauncy have accepted this offered Expedient And would not such Measures as these be reckoned as highly ridiculous as well as treacherous and false for my Servant instead of adjusting my Concerns whereon and whereunto I send him as entrusted with the s●me to take up with a bare sociable Act of Fellowship and Friendship even amongst those with and against whom my present Debate and Controversie lies Now is not all this perfect Sophistry Whence should a necessity proceed of an Agreement Is it from the Matter in Controversie as stated in Polemical Writings and Argumentations between them and that about Truths of the first Magnitude Or is it for the decision of a personal scuffle that this Expedient was formed For we find no Agreement in Doctrin save what is barely subscriptive to the Articles of others mentioned in the least but that of P●●●●ns whilst all this while their Treatises are at War with and Battling one another an 〈◊〉 from the allowed Precautions of both Authors as expressed in this Paper of Agreeme●● ●●gether with their distinct Testimonies in the same each resolving to keep his 〈…〉 But 2 〈…〉 s●cond Ground of my Dissatisfaction herein is That so sound Articles and Fundam●●●●● Doctrins therein of Faith should be made a Pretextual Covering of such Agreem●●● 〈◊〉 sin against such Truth or Light and to make a Pander of the latter to serve the 〈…〉 the former Wherefore lest any one might suppose me over-censorious in this I 〈…〉 3 〈…〉 Ground of my Dissatisfaction herein is That the Matter it self mainly in 〈…〉 which is not at all touched upon in the Paper of Agreement but perfectly avoided 〈…〉 therein still adhering to their own Judgment in what they had written is 〈…〉 Fundamental not either Gradual or Circumstantial which appears from these words It is hereby respectively declared that neither they who subscribed that Approbation prefixed to Mr Williams his Book did therein more than signifie as their own words express That they judged he had in all that was material fully and rightly stated the Truths and Errors this wants proof in a high Paper of Agreem p. 2. degree therein mentioned as such without delivering their sense about the Preface Explications or Proofs thereunto belonging which Declaration is not to be esteemed as a Disapproval of the said Preface Explications or Proofs Nor they who with Mr. Chancy subscribed the above-said Paper did therein offer any particular Exceptions which is a bold falshood against the said state of Truths and Errors which yet is not to be understood as an Approval of that state of Truth and Errors Now Reader consider here are Articles subscribed unto by Persons of several and very distinct Judgments which plainly appears from their stedfast adherence unto what they had written notwithstanding this form of an Agreement for that which they have subscribed unto must either be of an indifferent nature and consequently a Medium of Reconciliation between them or else must be obsolutely decisive of the Controversie on the one hand or the other and so long as things are thus agitated in the Dark my best Advice unto thee is to compare the Subscribed Articles with the Treatises writ by each Party and by the help of the Spirit of the Lord thou wilt quickly come to know not only where Truth does ly but also the various interwoven Cheats by which some Persons would carry on their wretched and unconscionable designs this day The Lord give thee understanding in all things FINIS The Reader is desired to Correct these following Errata's or any other with his Pen. INtroduct Page 2. Line 18. read won't for would p. 3. l. 26. r. cast down for cast us p. 2. l. 2. r. it s for it l. 19. r. as for ae p. 7. l. 15. r. into the state for in the state ibid. l. 39. r. this Doctor for thy Doctor p. 13. l. 38. r. Sacrifice for Sanctifie p. 14. l. 23. r. Surreptitious for Surreptatious ibid. l. 37. r. He that hath for He hath p. 22. l. 27. r. make it for for it p. 25. l. 6. r. hence l. 45. r. of God for for God p. 27. l. 36. r. but to drive