The Vf of Faith in jufJfication ; &v. 14.7 but upon a previous Judgment concerning thofe caufès, and the whole Nature of Juftification it fell Whereas therefore it were vain and endlefs to plead the principal matter in Con. troverfie upon every thing that occafionally belongs unto it ; and fo by the Title unto the whole Inheritance on every Cot- tage that is built on the premifis, I {hall briefly (peak unto thefe various Conceptions about the life of Faith in our Ju- ftification, rather to find out and give an underftanding of what is intended by them, than to argue about their Truth and Propriety, which depends on that wherein the fubftance of the Controverfie doth confift. Proteftant Divines until of late, have unanimoufly affirmed Faith to be the infirumental caul of our Juftification. So it is exprefhed,to be in many of the publick ConfeJfons of their Churches. This Notion of theirs concerning the Nature and V fe of Faith, was from the first oppofed by thofe of the Ro- man Church. Afterwards it was denied alto by the Socinians, as either falfe or improper. Socin. Mi fcellnn. Smalcius adv. Frantz. difiut. 4 SchliCling. adver. Meitner. de Juflificat. And of late this exprefiion is difliked by force among our felves ; wherein they follow Epif opiso Curcellius and others of that way. Thofe who are lober and moderate do rather decline this Notion and Expreffion as improper than rejeét them as untrue. And our fafeft courfe in thefe cafes is to confider what is the thing or matter intended. If that be agreed upon, he deferves belt of Truth, who parts with ftrife about propriety of Expreflions, before it be medled with. Tena- cious pleading about them will furely render our Contenti- ons Endlefs; and none will ever want an Appearance of pro- bability to give them countenance in what they pretend. If our defign in teaching be the fame with that of the Scripture, namely, to inform the Minds of Believers, and convey the Light of the knowledge of God in Chrifl unto them, we muff be contented fòmetimes to make ufè of fuch Exprefiions, as U 2 will
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