A26864:181
Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…
Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression of Mr. G. Kendall whereunto is added animadversions on a late dissertation of Ludiomæus Colvinus, aliaà Ludovicus Molinæs̳, M. Dr. Oxon, and an admonition of Mr. W. Eyre of Salisbury : with Mr. Crandon's Anatomy for satisfaction of Mr. Caryl.
London: printed by A.M. for Thomas Underhill, 1654
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Christs Satisfaction or Redemption (solvend• pretium) and merit, cannot be properly received by us: For they are not in themselves given to us (but as Tropically they may be said to be given to us, because the fruit of them is given us.) It was not to us, but to God, that Christ gave satisfaction, and the price of our Redemption. And yet justifying faith doth as necessarily respect Christs satisfaction and merit, as it doth our Justification thereby procured. It is therefore the acknowledging of this Redemption, Satisfaction or Merit, and the receiving of Christ as one that hath redeemed us by satisfaction and merit, and not the receiving that Redemption or Satisfaction our selves. To say therefore, that the justifying act of faith, is only the receiving of Christs Righteousness or of Justification, is to exclude the receiving of Christ himself any way; even to exclude him as satisfier from the justifying act: and to exclude from that act, his Redemption, by bloodshed, satisfaction and merit: For if it be only the receiving of righteousness, that is the justifying act, then it is neither the receiving of Christ himself, nor yet the acknowledgement of his Satisfaction and Redemption by his blood; and so they must say of these as they do of the reception of Christ as Lord, that it is the fides quae justificat, sed non quà justificans.
5. If faith shall be said to be the instrument of Justification eo nomine, because it is the receiving of that Righteousness whereby we are justified, then it will follow that faith must also be called the instrument of our enjoying Christ, eo nomine, because it receiveth him, and the instrument of our Adoption, eo nomine, because it receiveth Adoption; and so the same act of faith which entitles us to Justification, doth not entitle us to any other blessing; nor that act that entitles us to Christ, doth entitle us to Justification (unless there be several justifying acts:) but every particular mercy hath a particular act of faith as the instrument of receiving it: which is no Scripture doctrine.