Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	doctrine_n	rome_n	4,451	5	6.9113	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45680	Christ's righteousness imputed, the Saint's surest plea for eternal life, or, The glorious doctrine of free-justification, by the imputation of the pure and spotless righteousness of Jesus Christ, stated, cleared, vindicated, and made plain to the meanest capacity being the substance of several sermons, on Isaiah XLV. 24, 25 / by Michael Harrison ...	Harrison, Michael, Minister at Potters-Pury.	1690 (1690)	Wing H903; ESTC R10310	20,250	35

Christ's Righteousness Imputed THE Saint's Surest PLEA FOR Eternal Life OR The Glorious Doctrine of Free-Justification by the Imputation of the Pure and Spotless Righteousness of JESUS CHRIST Stated Cleared Vindicated and made Plain to the meanest Capacity Being the Substance of Several SERMONS On Isaiah XLV 24 25. By MICHAEL HARRISON Minister at Potters-Pury near Stony-Stratford in Northampton-shire LONDON Printed for William and Joseph Marshal and Sold by them at the Bible in Newgate-street Price 3 d. Where you may be supplied with Caryl on Job and Mr. Bunyan's Works and most of Dr. Owen's Works and likewise Lockyer's Pills rightly prepared TO THE Christian READER THis Glorious Doctrine of Justification which V. Chemnitius terms Arx Propugnaculum Religionis Christianae i. e. The very Strength and Bulwark of the Christian Religion and further calls Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae i. e. That Article with which the Church stands or falls is now so furiously attacked on every side Satan and his Instruments being so very busie to deprave it that 't is very necessary that every one of Sion's Watchmen should give Notice of the Danger and labour to fortifie himself and Flock against the Devices of the Common Enemy If we lose this Doctrine we lose our Hopes of Salvation and therefore all that is Valuable in Religion we have then no Way left of approaching to God for Pardon and Salvation nor any right Means for comforting afflicted Consciences This Doctrine is the Glory of the Protestant Churches one of the Grand Differences between them and the Romish Antichrist the Avowed Doctrine of the Church of England and all other Protestant Churches and therefore we have a great Deal of Reason to contend earnestly for this Doctrine once so clearly delivered to the Saints and afterwards sealed by the Blood of so many Martyrs It is now about Ten Years since I published a small Tract upon this Subject with great Success which was then approved to the Press by that Reverend Man of God Mr. Henry Cornish now in Heaven which thro' God's Blessing was of Vse to many Souls whose Thanks I have often received but that Discourse being quite out of Print and the Bookseller refusing to reprint it but on Terms not to be admitted by me I have therefore here in this Discourse set forth the same Doctrine in Substance and almost in the same Method but with considerable Additions Alterations and Enlargements which thro' God's Blessing I hope may yet be of further Vse especially to Christians of meaner Capacities who cannot read larger Volumes Now that it may be blessed to the Enlightning the dark Minds of Men so that God may have the Glory and his Church the Comfort is and shall be the Hearty Prayer of thy Soul's Friend M. Harrison Christ's Righteousness Imputed THE SAINT's Surest Plea FOR Eternal Life Isaiah XLV 24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength even to him shall Men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified and shall glory THis Chapter contains a Double Prophecy The First concerning the Redemption of the Jews out of Babylon the Re-edification of the Temple and the Restitution of the Temple-Worship The Other concerning the Calling and Conversion of the Gentiles in the Days of the Gospel of which the Words of the Text are the Conclusion in Ver. 23. you have God's Oath to assure us of the Certainty of the Conversion of the Gentiles I have sworn by my self the Word is gone out of my Mouth in Righteousness and shall not return unto me void every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear To bow the Knee intimates an humble Adoration of the Divine Majesty And Swearing a Solemn Part of God's Worship intimating that the Converted Gentiles shall reverently Adore and solemnly Worship God in Christ Now the Text gives a farther Account of the Change that Converting Grace shall make upon the Converted Gentiles In the Text observe I. The Person speaking It is the Lord Jehovah The Lord that speaks in Righteousness v. 19. He who is God alone a Just God besides whom there is no Saviour II. Here are the Persons spoken to or of Namely the Gentiles 1. The Converted Gentiles Shall one say One is not in the Hebrew Text but Liamor dixit He saith or shall say i. e. One and every one of the Converted Gentiles spoken of ver 23. Again v. 25. They are called the Seed of Irael which is a Term proper and peculiar not only to the Jews but to all Believers whether Jews or Gentiles who are frequently called God's Israel in Scripture as Psal 24.6 Rom. 9.6 c. Or 2. The Unconverted amongst them who were not changed by the Gospel but were rather Enemies to Christ that are incensed against him rebel against him not submitting to his Rule and Government III. Here are the Things predicted or spoken of these Persons And those are 1. The Solemn Glorious Benefits which they shall enjoy by the Gospel that are changed by it they shall have Righteousness and Strength and by that Righteousness they shall be justified 2. That Righteousness Believers have from Christ i● Twofold A Righteousness for their justification whereby they are accounted and esteemed righteous at God's Bar And an Inherent Righteousness of Sanctification tho' the latter is not here excluded yet the former is principally intended because 't is that Righteousness whereby we are justified v. 25. The Righteousness of Sanctification being rather hinted to us in the Word Strength whereby the Holy Spirit begins and carries on a Saving Regenerating Work in the Soul whereby we are enabled to repent believe and walk in Newness of Life IV. Here is the Change Regenerating Grace makes upon these Persons and the Profession that shall upon their Conversion be made by them 1. They shall come to Christ and believe on him To him shall Men come i. e. believe in Christ for Coming to Christ is Believing on him Mat. 11.28 2. They shall be justified by him i. e. Their Sins pardoned and their Persons cloathed with the Imputed Righteousness of Christ whereby they shall stand righteous at God's Bar. 3. They shall Glory q. d. They find a Gracious Change upon their Hearts by Sanctification a Change in their State by Justification this shall raise their Hearts into a Thankful Frame they shall believe in him rejoyce and glory in him as their God and Portion Doct. 'T is the Duty and Character of justified Believers to acknowledge and profess that that Righteousness whereby they are justified is in the Lord not in themselves This precious Doctrine of Justification is the very Marrow of the Christian Religion 't is that Doctrine as Luther observes with which the Church stands or falls 't is that Doctrine the Devil of all Gospel Truths most hates and endeavours to corrupt in the Beginning of the Reformation it was looked on as the

Grand Difference between the Protestants and Rome Yea 't is that Doctrine that will only help to settle an awakened convinced believing Sinner in a sweet and lasting Peace and therefore in speaking to it I shall shew you I. Who are the Persons that shall be made Partakers of this Blessed Priviledge of Justification II. The Nature of Justification what it is III. What that Righteousness is for and by which we are justified at God's Bar. IV. The Time when God's Children are made Partakers of this Blessed Priviledge V. How we are justified by Faith VI. Objections against the Doctrine of Justification answered I. Who are the Persons justified Answ 1. Negatively not fallen Angels they have indeed sinned and by Sin thrown themselves into an Eternal Abyss of Misery but their Case is hopeless and remediless God has left them in the Ruines of their Fall without discovering to them any Way of Deliverance Heb. 2.16 He took not on him the Nature of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did not catch or lay hold on the Angel but when they were falling he let them go 2. Positively But fallen Man not Man in Innocency but Man under the Sentence of Condemnation for Sin but yet it 's not all Sinners that shall be justified For all the World are become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 but all the World are not saved no in the Text you find some that are incensed against Christ that are angry with him these shall be ashamed there are a World of Sinners that notwithstanding the Gospel discovering Salvation shall be Eternally damned Rev. 21.8 but such as are justified must be 1. Elected and Chosen of God to be Heirs of Eternal Life Eph. 1.4 Chosen before the Foundation of the World 2. They must be Sinners whoever is justified must first be ungodly Rom. 4.5 3. They must be given to Christ John 6.37 All the Father hath given me shall come 4. Whoever is justified must first be accused the violated Law puts in a Plea against the Sinner John 5.45 Think not I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust i. e. The Law of Moses by the Works whereof they hoped to be justified St. Paul had found the accusing condemning Power of the Law in his own Conscience before he pleaded the Righteousness of Christ Rom. 7.9 5. One justified must be a repenting and returning Sinner for tho' Repentance be no meritorious Cause of Justification yet it 's absolutely necessary for Pardon Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts and return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy on him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon 'T is a fruitless Dispute whether Justification or Sanctification be first in Order of Nature for they both spring from one and the same Root viz. Free-Grace and never go alone and 't is certain none can have the one without the other 6. Whoever is justified must believe For we are saved by Faith Eph. 2.8 justified by Faith Rom. 3.28 'T is very absurd to say we are justified before we believe or without Faith II. I am now to shew you the Nature of Justification what it is Des Justification is in Acquittance or Discharge at God's Bar from all that the accusing Law hath to lay to our Charge and the giving such a Righteousness by Vertue whereof we can lay Claim to Eternal Life as ours Here are two Parts of Justification 1. A Discharge from what the Condemning Law hath to lay to our Charge now the Law pronounces a Curse Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under a Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all Things written in the Book of the Law to do them By the Law here is meant the Covenant of Works as appears from Deut. 27.26 whence the Apostle borrows this So to be under the Curse of the Law is to be liable to all the Penalties the Law threatens Now Eternal Separation from God is what the Law threatens to the Breakers of it For that first Threatning Gen. 2.17 In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye is Threefold involving a Temporal a Spiritual and an Eternal Death Now from this Curse and Death we must be acquitted this is the Pardon of Sin Isa 55.7 Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption thro' his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sin and this Forgiveness is of meer Grace Eph. 1.7 According to the Riches of his Grace 2d Branch of justification is by pleading a Righteteousness or a Satisfaction at God's Bar. We are by Nature Sinners and by the Law accused or impleaded at God's Bar to which Accusation we must plead guilty or not guilty Not-guilty can none plead For we are all under Sin Rom. 3.9 All the World is become guilty before God v. 19. therefore the accused Sinner must plead guilty and in Order to bring him off at God's Bar he must plead either 1. Meer Sovereign Mercy q. d. Lord I have sinned and deserved thy Wrrth and Curse but thou art a Merciful and Gracious God ready to pardon willing to forgive a God which takest no Pleasure in the Misery and Sufferings of thy Creatures I therefore plead Free and Sovereign Mercy Thus the condemned Creature throws himself upon the Mercy of the Judge but this is not properly to plead but to beg I do not say God could not have saved the Sinner this way by passing a meer Act of Sovereign Grace without respect to his Justice but I do say God will not do it he will save Sinners in such a way as his Justice as well as Mercy shall be glorified in their Salvation therefore meer Mercy cannot be pleaded Therefore 2. The Accused Sinner must plead a Satisfaction to the Law a Righteousness such as the Law and Justice of God requires This is indeed the Way in which we are to look for Justification we must plead a Satisfaction made to Divine Justice and a Righteousness in which we may stand righteous at God's Bar and this must be either a Righteousness inherent in our own Persons which is the Righteousness of Sanctification or without us the Merits and Righteousness of another 1. Inherent in our selves 'T is true all God's Saints are inherently righteous for by that blessed Work of Regeneration and Sanctification they are truly tho' not perfectly righteous as 't is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 They were both righteous before God walking in all the Ordinances and Commandments of the Lord blameless They were not sinle●● and Legally righteous but they allowed no Sin sincerely endeavouring to keep a good Conscience both towards God and Man All regenerate Believers are thus righteous God testifies of Noah Gen. 7.1 Thee have I seen righteous b●fore me in this Generation But this inherent Righteousness of Sanctification cannot be pleaded at God's Bar for our Justification 1.