Lanterna Rally

Author: John Bunyan

Publisher: Theclassics.Us

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9781230275512

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1846 edition. Excerpt: ... JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OK, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Justification is to be diversly taken in the scripture. 1. Sometimes it is taken for the justification of persons. 2. Sometimes for the justification of actions. 3. And sometimes for the justification of the person and action too. It is taken for the justification of persons, and that, (1.) As to justification with God; or, (2.) As to justification with men. As to justification with God--that is, when a man stands clear, quit, free, or, in a saved condition before him, in the approbation of his holy law. As to justification with men--that is, when a man stands clear and quit from just ground of reprehension with them. Justification also is to be taken with reference to actions; and that may be when they are considered, 1. As flowing from true faith; or, 2. Because the act done fulfils some transient law. (1.) As actions flow from faith, so they are justified, because done before God in, and made complete through, the perfections of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. ii. 5; Heb. xiii. 15; Rev. viii. 1-4. (2.) As by the doing of the act some transient law is fulfilled; as when Jehu executed judgment upon the house of Ahab--" Thou hast done well," said God to him, " in executing that which is righteous in mine eyes, and hast done to the house of Ahab all that was in mine heart," 2 Kings, x. 30. As to such acts, God may or may not look at the qualification of those that do them; and it is clear that he had not respect to any good that was in Jehu, in the justifying of this action; nor could he, for Jehu stuck close yet to the sins of Jeroboam, but "took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel," chap. x. 29, 31. I might hence also shew you, that a man may be...