Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	faith_n	justify_v	object_n	1,744	5	9.2095	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41483	The banner of justification displayed: or; a discourse, concerning the deep, and important mystery of the justification of a sinner wherein the severall causes thereof, being both numerous and various, are from the first to the last diligently enquired after, and their severall contributions towards so great and happy a work, clearly distinguished, and assigned to their proper causes (respectively.) and more particularly is shewed, how God, how the grace of God, how the decree of God, how the soveraign authority of God; how Christ, how the active obedience [of] Christ, how the passive obedience of Christ, how the resurrection of Christ, how the knowledge of Christ; how the spirit of God, how faith, how repentance, how works, how remission of s[in,] how the word, how the minister of the word, how the P[ope?] himself which is justified, may all truly, though upon severall accounts, and after different manners, be sayed to justifie.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1659 (1659)	Wing G1150A; ESTC R221574	62,441	91

constructive vertuall or consequentiall Acts acted or done in the doing of some one so there may be nay there alwaies is an answerable variety of Effects produced by and so Attributable unto this one Act. When a Prince prefers some Head of a Family to a great place of profit and power in the State or any other person who is a Lover of his Friends and Relations in blood he may be sayd to cast honour upon this person to better his condition in the World to raise his Family to give every particular Member hereof hope of being better accommodated in matters of this life yea in case he doth bestow this preferment upon him for his Fathers or any of his Ancestors sake as for any worth in them or for any good Service done by them or the like in preferring him he may be sayd to impute the worth or faithfulness of such an Ancestor unto him But all such Acts as these are but mediate constructive or consequentiall and so are their respective effects to be interpreted likewise A Prince when he prefers a man in strict propriety of speaking doth nothing else but prefer him or which is the same confers some place of profit or of honour upon him In like manner when God justifieth a man he may be sayd to bless him to translate him from Death to Life to give him a lawfull Title or Claim to eternall life and his Heavenly Kingdome and because he doth it upon the account and for the sake of the Obedience of Christ as well active as passive although in a more peculiar manner upon the account of the latter the Scripture constantly ascribing Justification unto the blood death sufferings c. of Christ and never to my remembrance unto his active Obedience unless haply as presupposed unto his passive and as qualifying it for its high Service I say because God justifieth men for the sake of Christ and for what he hath done and suffered in serving his counsell and good pleasure he may when he justifieth any man be sayd to impute the righteousness or obedience of Christ unto him And because in order to this Act of his I mean his Act of justifying a man he requires Faith of him and Faith only in the sense formerly declared and asserted when he justifieth him he may be sayd to count or to impute his Faith unto him for righteousness Again when he justifieth a man because he graciously confers upon him a righteousness of his own Invention and Contrivance and doth not justifie him with for or upon any righteousness found in him whom he justifieth therefore when he justifieth him he is sayd to impute righteousness unto him i. as it were To gratifie him with a righteousness remission of sins being a righteousness properly enough so called in as much as he who is chargable with no sin which is his priviledge or case who hath all his sins justly and authoritatively remitted must needs be looked upon as an Observer of the whole Law But when God justifieth a person he doth none of these things to him in a direct formall or immediate way but constructively or consecutively only All that he doth upon such terms is only this he justifieth him i. He remitteth unto him all his sins remission of sins being that absolute and compleat righteousness wherewith a sinner is invested by God in his justification besides which such a person is not capable of any nor standeth in need of any for the attainment of any end or benefit of righteousness whatsoever And as for those that have been the greatest sinners and neither gave Meat unto Christ when he was an hungry nor Drink when he was thirsty nor cloathed him when he was naked c. If so be God should remit these and all other their sins unto them which yet he cannot without their timely repentance and contrary practising for a season because this would be to deny himself I mean his righteousness and truth they should hereby become as righteous and as capable of the reward of righteousness as the greatest Saints and those who continued for the longest time walking with God This concerning remission of sins and what part it beareth in the great and mysterious work of Justification 15. That the Scriptures or Word of God are not Sect. 15 meer Standers by neither or Lookers on in the business of Justification but have somewhat to do in reference unto it and for the promoting it sufficiently appears from these and such like sayings of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. Send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose Sirname is Peter who shall tell the words whereby thou and all thy House shall be saved Act. 11. 13 14. Abraham believed God i. The word of God and it was counted unto him for righteousness Rom. 4. 3. True Faith whether in the Act or Habit or both having such an essentiall Connexion by the will and pleasure of God as we have heard with justification and never failing to obtain it whatsoever any wayes worketh Faith or contributeth towards the raising of it in the Soul must needs in that respect and so far have an hand in justification according to that known Principle in Reason formerly mentioned Quod est causa causae est etiam causa causati That which in any consideration gives being to the Cause is in that respect a Cause of the Effect produced by it Now the Scripture or the Word of God I mean the Mind Councell or Will of God which are the substance matter or truth contained and held forth in and by the Scriptures which we are taught in them to call the word of God which matter or truth are held forth likewise taught and declared in part other-wayes then in the Scriptures as by the light of Nature Works of Creation of Providence c. I say the Scripture or Word of God thus understood is the only object or subject matter of that hearing by which Faith ordinarily cometh as the Apostle even now informed us meaning that Faith by which men are justified And as Sanctification is ascribed unto the Word o● God Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is the truth Joh. 17. 17. Mediante fide by the intervening and mediation of Faith or the belief of it Heb. 4. 2 So may Justification by the same mediation be ascribed unto it likewise Yea Faith it self which justifieth more immediatly and directly and consequently Justification may be ascribed unto it not only as it is the subject matter or object of that hearing by which the Faith which justifieth is produced as hath been already sayd but as it is such a word or the matter of it so qualified and conditioned that it is very apt pregnant and potent to work or raise that Faith in the hearts and minds of men which by Divine Institution as we have heard is justifying For it is

Meaning that they could have no reasonable ground to believe that they were discharged or acquitted by God from the Debt or guilt of their sins by means of the death of Christ if he should be detained in the Prison of Death the Grave until now and not have been raised again and set at liberty So then the rising again or rather the raising again of Christ from the dead by God the Father justifieth believing sinners as it were argumentatively and as exhibiting a rationall ground unto them whereon to build their Faith of a full and perfect Attonement made by Christ in his death for them or for their sins by which Faith according unto and by vertue of that Promise made or the Law enacted by God in that behalf they come to be justified Sect. 9 9. The Prophet Isaiah bringeth in God the Father speaking thus of his Son Christ By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Isa. 53. 11. That the Particle or Pronoun His is here to be taken objectively not subjectively a construction frequent in Scripture is I presume the award of every mans Understanding So that by his knowledge the knowledge of Christ is meant the knowledge of himself which he shall propagate in the World by the Ministry of the Gospel and by means of this knowledge of him many shall be justified according to that of the Apostle We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ i. By Christ believed on as he explains himself in the verse next following But if whilst we seek to be justified by Christ c. Whence by the way it may be observed that to be justified by Christ and by Faith or believing in Christ is of one and the same import So then the knowledge of Christ is or may be sayd to justifie men in somewhat a remote sense viz. As it is a ground of encouragement unto them to believe on him by which believing they are immediatly justified 10. Men are sayd in Scripture as well to be Justified as Sect. 10 Sanctified by the Spirit of God and this as Justification is distinguished from Sanctification But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Some Exposito●s indeed understand the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} yee were justified not of Justification properly so called or which standeth in remission of sins but of such a justification which consisteth in a progress or proficiency in Righteousness or in the profession and practice of Christianity For the justification of which Exposition they plead the exigency of the order or gradation in the Text it self as also the like use or signification of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in that of Apocal. 22. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let him that is righteous or just be justified still i. As the Expositers we speak of interpret Let him encrease and make forward in wayes of righteousness It must be acknowledged that to grow in grace and proceed in holiness and righteousness from day to day may be called a mans justification in a declarative or arguitive sense viz. As they argue or declare a man to be a justified pe●son and his Faith to be of the right kind a living and growing Faith yea they may be termed a mans justification as they are just matter of his app●obation and commendation which in many cases are used in a sense parallel to that of the word Justification as 't is used sometimes But the Justification which is the S●bject of our present Discourse doth not consist in any Action one or more nor in any Quality one or more but rather in a state or condition viz. Such whereinto a person is translated or brought by the pardon of his sins or sentence of absolution awarded by God Nor need we take the word Justification in the Scripture lately cited 1 Cor. 6. 11. in any other sense but this For Justification in this sense may be asc●ibed to the Holy Ghost as he hath a speciall and appropriate hand in raising the work of Faith by which men are thus justified in the hearts of those who do believe in which respect Faith is registred by the Apostle Paul amongst the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. and by his Fellow Apostle Peter they who believe are sayd to obey the truth speaking of the obediency of Faith to the Gospel through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. and Act. 18. 27. The Christians in Ach●ia are sayd to have believed through grace i Through the grace of God in his vouchsafement of his Spirit unto them by whom they were enabled to believe yea and actually believed Now then according to the known Maxime or Principle in reason Quod est causa causae est causa causati That which is the Cause of any Cause producing an Effect is the cause of the Effect it self as well as of the Cause producing it Faith being the cause or means of Justification and the Spirit the cause of Faith Justification may as truly and not much less properly be attributed unto the Spirit as unto Faith Sect. 11 11. That Faith justifieth is the constant assertion of the Scripture and the Architectonicall Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Again Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Rom. 3. 28. Yet once more to spare Citations in a case so generally known We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law c. Gal. 2. 15 16. By the way upon occasion of these with many the like passages in the New Testament wherein Justification by Faith is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} expresly affirmed I cannot but mention my dislike of their strein in teaching who lay down and deliver it to the people for a Doctrine positively and plainly that men are not justified by Faith or by believing Doubtless it is not convenient or comely positively to deliver or assert that for a Doctrine of Truth which is so diametrally opposite to the frequent cleer and express words of the Scripture If there be a limited sence to be put upon such passages wherein a Truth is commonly and from place to place held forth in the Scriptures this may conveniently and timously enough be done in the Explication or Opening

vado I am in no danger of just blame for doing that by which they have been provoked For that Saying of Seneca will at this turn guard me round about Recti argumentum est pessimis displicere The worst men are commonly most displeased with that which is best And thus we see with how great weakness and unworthyness Mr. Hickman hath quitted himself in levying the sore Charge mentioned against a person that never did him nor thought him the least harm But in the Passage now examined he hath only Chastized me with his Rods elsewhere he makes a Scourge for my Back of Scorpions For thus my Transcription reporteth him And indeed a spirit of most Childish Insultation seems to have possessed as many as have lift up an English Pen against the Orthodox in this Quinquarticular Controversie I 'le instance only in Mr. John Goodwin who in the Preface of his Triumviri sayth That he hath not met with any thing in the Writings of any or of all the three men contesting with him which had in the least shaken his Confidence concerning the truth of the things by him asserted or that for the least space of time put him to any stond or loss in his understanding concerning them or to seek what to answer to any thing they offer or object against any of them Which Lines the greatest Charity must look upon as so much vapouring Rhetorick dropt from his Pen in the absence of Judgment and Conscience or as an Essay of the Spartans Valour who being struck down by a mortall blow used to stop their mouthes with earth that they might not be heard to quetch or groan thereby to affright their Fellows or animate their Enemies Here is work enough for all day But 1. I perceive the truth of the old Saying is not yet out of date Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit Comply and Friends thou shalt create Speak truth and look for mortall hate I perceive if instead of speaking the truth in the Passage cited by Mr. Hickman I should have comported with him in his sense and notion and have sayd that the three men had given my confidence a Mortall wound and had objected such things against my Tenents which put me to a stand and that I knew not which way to turn me for an Answer unto them or the like this might have purchased me the right hand of his Fellowship and have restored me to the Synagogue of the Orthodox out of which I was cast long since and have remained an Out-cast severall years When the Lord Christ had said unto the Jews that God was his Father and that he knew him which they did not this Saying as it seems was ill resented by them their desire being that he should unsay it and that he should not assume unto himself any other or any more knowledge of God then what they had If I should say sayth Christ I know him not I should be a Lyar like unto you But I know him c. John 8. 55. If I should have sayd that I met with that in the Writings of the three men of whom Mr. Hickman speaks which did put me to a stand c. I should herewith have pleased him because in so saying I should have complyed with him and made my self like unto him But 2. Mr. Hickman Arraigning me for the High Misdemeanour of speaking untruth for his charging me to have written as I did in the absence of Judgment and Conscience amounteth to no less he should have done well to observe the due process of Law and Reason and first have made substantiall proof of the Crime or matter of Fact objected before he had proceeded to a sentence of Condemnation and have produced some Argument or Objection one or more out of the W itings of some of the three men which he should substantially prove did put me to a stond or loss in my understanding what to answer If he could name any such Argument or Ob●ection from any of the said men that to his knowledge did the Feat which he presumes was done though I deny it I mean which did put me to a stond c. this would not justifie him unless he could give a sufficient account of such his knowledge unto others For the Rule is Non esse non apparere aquiparantur in jure That which is not and that which appears not are of the same consideration in Law And yet I judge it an easie matter for him to give an account of all the knowledge he hath in this kind But the Law of Conscience and Christianity forbids the sacrificing of any mans Reputation at the loudest instance of Probabilities or Conjectures at least or such which have no more weight or reason in them then those upon which Mr. Hickman hath offered up mine upon the Service whether of his pleasure or displeasure But if either he or any of his Colleagues in Judgment could and would be pleased to afford me the inter-view of any such Argument or Objection against my Tenents by-named Erroneous whether out of the Writings of some of the three men or out of their own Treasuries or out of the abundance of any of their Judgment which would put me to such a stond that I should not remove or to such a loss in my understanding that I could never recover or repaire they would be the best Benefactors unto me in the good things of this World that I have met with these many years especially they would have been such unto me had they be-friended me in that kind heretofore whilst and when I was more capable of the Courtesies and Benefactures of the World then now I am expecting daily to remove into that Climate where the Sun-shine of this world hath no warming or cheering influence at all For certain I am that those Tenents from under the Conscience whereof I might well have been delivered by the means specified have divided between the world and me and kept many the good things thereof from me by reason of their insupportableness unto the greater part of men and more especially unto the great men in the state of my sojourning and to those who by their consent yea they love to have it so exercise Dominion over their Faith under the importune claim of being Orthodox and sound in their Judgments from the one end of them even unto the other in matters appertaining unto God I have neither any disposition within nor occasion without to turn Plaintiff against the World a man with a competency of wisdome may very well be content with my portion in it For my good God Etiam in vitâ mundi Minerva hath fed me and mine with food convenient yea and cloathed and harboured us accordingly And the truth is that for things greater then these it is best receiving them at the Resurrection Or 3. If it be not matter of untruth in my words of his angry Observation lately mentioned wherewith and for

which my Accuser intended to humble me but rather the subject matter or inward thought imported in the words as that I should arrogate unto my self an attainment so incredible and rare as not to be put to a stond or be at a loss in my understanding what to answer to any thing I had met with in any the Writings of the three men if this I say be the Sword that passed through the Soul of my Accuser and be apprehended by him so highly Criminall as to deserve that heaped measure of Indignation which he hath troubled his Learning to pour upon it I shall for the composure of his Spirit and for the dissolving of the unhappy appearance of so much guilt where none was administer unto him that well-approved Dosis of Augustine Non est arrogantia sed ●ides praedicare ●a quae accepisti Upon occasion to professor declare what a man hath received of undeserved favour and bounty from God is no point of arrogance o● pride but of Faith And the truth is that God hath so blessed me in the labour and travail of my Soul about those great Points of Election Reprobation the Intent or Extent of the death of Christ c. wherein I have with some diligence and with no less integrity and simplicity of heart exercised my self for severall years past that before the coming forth of any thing Printed by the three men against me I was Master of such Principles and Grounds partly from the light of Nature and common Impressions found in the Hearts and Consciences of all men concerning God partly from the Writings of learned and worthy men as well of the Contra-remonstrant party as Calvin Beza Musculus c. as the Remonstrant but chiefly from the Sriptures by which I was able to give my self present satisfaction about any thing I met with objected in my way by any of those three men And I partly believe that Mr. Hickman himself though but a young man comparatively yet conceiveth of himself at not much a lower rate then to be able without much study to maintain the peace of his present Judgment against all the Attempts that either I in any of my Writings or any other of my Judgment in theirs have made upon him to disturb him However if he should make a Declaration or profession of such a Tenor or Import I judging him to be a man of Conscience and sober minded should not reflect upon him nor do I judge it my duty so to do as a man speaking that which was not nor yet conclude him to be a man of a lofty and confident arrogating or self-willed Spirit much less should I arraign him openly as a person guilty of such misdemeanours I confess it is very incident to men to abound in their own sense to such a degree as to presume that they want nothing wherwith to answer any man that shall oppose it Indeed if he should declare or profess after this manner or the like Viz That he is resolved whatsoever hath been written or whatsoever shall be written by any man or men whatsoever yea or whatsoever can be written in opposition to his present Judgment in those Points that yet he will stand by this Judgment unto death this I confess would put me into thoughts of another nature concerning him But I have not put him to the trouble of any such consideration as this about me my Profession with which notwithstanding he vexeth his impatient Soul being of a far different Spirit But 4. and lastly As to those words And indeed a spirit of most Childish insultation seems to have possessed as many as have lift up an English Pen against the Orthodox in this quinquarticul●r Controversie I am reall in believing the truth of the●e words but not in the meaning of him that wrote them But admit his sense and meaning in them for truth never was the Spirit of Childish insultation more Childishly reproved or with less authority and power in respect of the Tenor and notion of the reproof For the credit of that old saying of grave Cato is Authentick to this day Turpe est Doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum A burning shame it is when Teachers will Reprove and yet themselves commit the ill Or is there any species of Childish insultation more impertinent and weak then Ante pugnam canere victoriam to sing Victory before the Battell be begun or whilst it is yet with great heat of Courage and Confidence prosecuted and maintained by the opposite side Or is there any Soloecisme in Logick broader or more illogicall then that which they call Petitio Principii when that is presumed or taken for granted which is the main question in Dispute Or when Mr. Hickman takes the honour unto himself and his Party in the Quinquarticular Controversie of being the Orthodox and more signally and peculiarly such in the said Controversie doth he not cry Victory before the Battell or whilst his Adversaries in good order with their Troops unbroken yea undaunted without the loss of so much as an Inch of their ground keep the Field Or is it not by a neer-hand interpretation the very Spirit and quick of the Controversie between him and them which of the two be the Orthodox yet Mr. Hickman gives us this Pill to swallow without chewing that he and his have the right end of the Staff are the Orthodox in the Points and Questions depending He doth not walk by the King of Israels advice unto Benhadad 1 King 20. 11. For he hath but newly girded his ●●arness to him and yet boasteth as if he were putting i● off But I would gladly here know of him how by what Title or right of Claim he and his come to be the Orthodox I am affraid they came not to the Honour as orderly or honestly as Aaron did to the Priesthood but that they took it unto themselves being never called to it by God or the Truth Our Saviour even in his own Ca●e acknowledgeth equity in that Maxime of Law That a mans Testimony of or for himself is invalid If I saith he bear witness of my self my testimony is not true i. Not true or valid in course of Law John 5. 31. I never heard nor can I beleive unless Mr. Hickman or some of his Friends could lend me their Faith that they hold the Title of Orthodox by any other right of Claim then that by which the Jews held that honour which they received one of another John 5 44. No● do I know any reason why they should bear away the Bell of Orthodoxisme from their Brethren their friendly Adversaries unless it be because they are the far better Ringers ever and anon upon occasion and without occasion Pealing and sounding it in our Ears that they are the Orthodox And as the Jews of old made great treasure of the●Templum Domini and thought themselves safe enough under the p●otection of it ever and anon having it in their mouths

of the Doctrine But I judge it very incongruous for any Minister of the Gospel to set up a Doctrine as it were in defiance of or in Contest against any thing so frequently and so directly in terminis affirmed in the Scriptures as Justification by Faith And doubtlesse men need not be at all tender or afraid to deliver this positively for a Doctrine of Evangelical Truth that men are justified by Faith yea or by Faith alone if they do but declare or signifie withall 1. What the Scripture means by that Justification which it ascribeth unto Faith 2 What it means by that Faith unto which it ascribeth Justification For 1. that Justification which the Scripture attributeth unto Faith is precisely that which consisteth in Remission of sins as the Apostle plainly teacheth Rom. 3. 25. but more largely Rom. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. to omit other places Now certain it is that no kinde of works whatsoever enjoyned in the Moral Law have any thing at all little or much to doe about Remission of Sins or in the procurement or obtaining of it For in case a man should transgresse the Law or sin only once and this in the lightest manner and should for ten thousand years together afterwards with all possible exactnesse observe and keep this Law yet this long Tract or Series of Obedience or good Works would not make his Attonement for that Sin nor bring him off from the Guilt of it with Peace and Safety The reason is signified by the Apostle Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Bloud there is no Remission The Wisdome and Righteousnesse of God did not judge it reasonable or meet that the payment of one Debt by the Creature though amounting to never so great a Summe should satisfie for the Non-payment of another Now the most exact Obedience that can be performed or yielded unto the Law of God by any Creature whilest it hath any being is but a debt due from this Creature unto God Therefore no Obedience in this kinde can satisfie for or attone either in whole or in part the least Disobedience or Transgression So that Justification from sin as the Scripture phrase is Act. 13. 39. i. which standeth in Remision of sins cannot be purchased or procured but by the Death or Blood-shed of him that should undertake the Redemption of Sinners Only God was pleased to decree or make this for a Law which the Apostle calleth the Law of Faith Rom 3. 27. that Faith or believing in him through Christ should interess men in the benefit or blessing of the Death and Bloud-shed of Christ i. in that Remission of Sins which was purchased by his Death And in this consideration Faith justifieth viz. by vertue of the Soveraign Authority of that most Gracious Decree or Law of God wherein he hath said or decreed that it shall intitle men unto or in-right them in part and fellowship of that benefit of the Death of Christ which consisteth in Forgivenesse of Sins or which comes much to the same as it is a Qualification or condition ordained covenanted or appointed by God to bring upon those in whom it shall be found the great Blessing of that Pardon of Sin which Christ hath obtained for Men by his Blood And because God hath not passed any such Decree nor made any such Law concerning good works as viz. that these shall bring men into Communion of the benefit of Remission of Sins purchased by the Death of Christ therefore they have nothing to doe to justifie men in this notion or sense of the word Justification If by Justification we mean approbation commendation acquitting from blame or the like in which sense also the word is frequently used in the Scriptures * Good Works are proper and necess ry thus to justifie us both in the sight of God and Men only with this Explication or Proviso viz. that men live to meet with Opportunities for the doing of such works after their true believing For otherwise if the case should so happen that a true Believer should be taken away by Death the next moment to that in which he first believed it is not to be thought but that he should die not simply with his sins pardoned but under the approbation of God also Therefore Good Works in actu exercito as the Schoolmen speak or actually performed are not absolutely universally or in every case that may possibly happen necessary no not to that Justification it self which simpathizeth as hath been said in import with Approbation Commendation Vindication from blame imputed or the like It is true in actu signato or as they are Radically Seminally or Vertually included in that Faith which justifieth by Remission of sins of which more presently so they are universally and in all cases possible if we speak of persons capable by Years and Discretion of Believing necessary thereunto And God who accepteth the Will for the Deed when men want opportunity or means for Action looketh upon those good Works which are conceived in the Womb of a true and unfeigned Faith as actually performed and done when such a Faith wants means time or opportunity to bring forth In this notion our Saviour himself must be understood to speak at least in reference unto many of those to whom he speaketh if he be conceived to speak unto all standing on his right hand which I judge to be the more rational to suppose Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye Blessed of my Father For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came unto me Doubtlesse some yea a considerable party of those to whom the Lord Christ will expresse himself thus in that Great Day will be such who had been poor in the dayes of their Flesh and afflicted and stood in need of being relieved by their Christian Brethren better accommodated in the World then they and in whose relief Christ will acknowledge himself relieved v. 40. Therefore such as these had not been in a condition or capacity to minister actually unto the wants and necessities of other poor Christians in those respective Supplies and Accommodations here specified and yet we finde according to our late supposition that Christ gives the same testimony unto them for these services of Charity which he gives unto those that had actually performed them His meaning then must be that even these poor distressed Saints who had not wherewith either to cloath the naked or to give entertainment unto Strangers actually yet had both one and other the same works and services of Christian commiseration and charity here mentioned in the Bowels of the same kinde of Faith out of which they actually proceeded from their better World-provided Brethren and were performed by them But this occasionally here and by the way for the better Explication