Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…

§. 2.

R. B. 1. IT is a strange phrase to call any act of faith [An act of Justification.] If you speak properly, you must mean it efficienter vel constitutivè: either that some act of faith is an act of Justification, as the efficient (but that's far ⟨p. 11⟩from truth, to believe and to justify differ) or else that it is an act constituting Justification: But that is as far from truth; for then Credere should be Justificari. If you speak improperly, you must mean, either [An act effecting Justification] as it seems you do; which is unsound, as well as improper: or else [An act which is the Condition of Justification] which is sound, though improper.

R. B. 1. IT is a strange phrase to call any act of faith [An act of Justification.] If you speak properly, you must mean it efficienter vel constitutivè: either that some act of faith is an act of Justification, as the efficient (but thats farre ⟨p. 11⟩from truth, to beleeve and to justifie differ) or else that it is an act constituting Justification: But that is as far from truth; for then Credere should be Justificari. If you speak improperly, you must mean, either [An act effecting Justification] as it seems you do; which is unsound, as well as improper: or else [An act which is the Condition of Justification] which is sound, though improper.

2. Who knows whether you mean that [none of those acts, Heb. 11. are acts of Justification] or [not all of them] The proper importance of your words is for the former. But that is a dangerous untruth: for vers. 13. is judged by our Divines to contain a proper description of justifying faith [they saw the promises (i. e. the good promised) a far off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, &c.] But which soever you mean, you should have proved your assertion. It will be easily acknowledged that many there mentioned, were not the great and principal act which is the Condition of Justification, as begun: But yet they may be lesser acts which are secondary parts of the condition of continuing their Justification. I do not think but that act [by which Noah became the heir of the righteousness which is by faith,] v. 7. had a hand in continuing his Justification, though it were the preparing the Ark, being moved with fear. I think that act by which Abel obtained witness that he was righteous, and that by which Enoch pleased God, and without which it is impossible to please him, had some hand in Justification: I think these four great acts mentioned, v. 6. are part of the condition of Justification. 1. To believe that God is (viz. that he is God, the Chief Good, the first and last, the principal efficient and Ultimate End, &c.) 2. The diligent seeking of him. 3. Believing that he is a rewarder of them that do so. 4. Coming to him. (If this be distinct from the second.) When the holy Ghost doth of purpose in the whole Chapter set forth the glory and excellency of faith, I dare not be one that shall imagine that he speaks all this of a lower sort of faith, and quite left out the noblest part which justifieth, from his praises.