Why Reformed definitions of justifying faith diverge — omit the common, mark the difference
Reformed definitions of justifying faith diverge for two reasons.
First: many omit what it shares with historical faith and mark only the difference — so they skip the assent justifying faith still gives to the whole revealed Word.
Second: some define from one property, others from another.
Latin
LXXXIII. Supra quoque docuimus fidem justificantem a Reformatis pluribus & discrepantibus modis describi atque definiri. Quae discrepantia inde primo oritur, quod multi in sua definitione omittunt id quod fides justificans commune habet cum fide historica: & solum notare volunt id quo fides justificans ab historica differt. Ut qui in sua definitione mentionem non faciunt assensus quem fides justificans praebet toti Verbo Dei ipsi revelato atque proposito. Deinde sunt qui fidem justificantem ab una proprietate, alii vero qui ab alia describunt.