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

6. It must be remembered that the thing that faith receives naturally and properly, is not Christ himself, or his righteousness; but the species of what is represented as its object. And that faiths reception of Christ himself and his righteousness, or of right to Christ, is but Receptio metaphorica; vel actio ad receptionem propriam necessaria: and that the true reception, which is pati, non agere, doth follow faith, and therefore Christ himself is received only Receptione fidei ethicâ, activâ, metaphoricâ: Species Christi predicati recipiatur reception naturali, intelligendo: J•• ad Christum recipitur receptione naturali passivâ, propriâ: That which is conditionally given (on condition of acceptance or the like) and offered to be accepted; this is received, Receptione fidei ethicâ: whereupon followeth the actual efficacious giving of that thing, (the condition being performed, which suspended it:) and this the believer receiveth, Reception passivâ, propriâ; but it is not his Faith that receiveth it.

6. It must be remembred that the thing that faith receives naturally and properly, is not Christ himself, or his righteousness; but the species of what is represented as its object. And that faiths reception of Christ himself and his righteousness, or of right to Christ, is but Receptio metaphorica; vel actio ad receptionem propriam necessaria: and that the true reception, which is pati, non agere, doth follow faith, and therefore Christ himself is received only Receptione fidei ethicâ, activâ, metaphoricâ: Species Christi predicati recipiatur receptione naturali, intelligendo: J•• ad Christum recipitur receptione naturali passivâ, propriâ: That which is conditionally given (on condition of acceptance or the like) and offered to be accepted; this is received, Receptione fidei ethicâ: whereupon followeth the actual efficacious giving of that thing, (the condition being performed, which suspended it:) and this the beleever receiveth, Receptione passivâ, propriâ; but it is not his Faith that receiveth it.

7. The great thing therefore that I would desire to be observed is this; that though faith were an instrument of the foresaid objective, or of the Ethical, Metaphorical reception of Christ (which yet is not properly, being ipsa Receptio,) yet it is not therefore the instrumental cause of the passive, proper reception of Right to Christ or Righteousness. Of this it is only the condition and not the proper instrument. (For I shall show hereafter that it is impossible it should be both:) It doth morally qualify the subject to be a fit patient to be justified, as M. Benjam. Woodbridge saith truly, in his excellent Sermon of Justification. The reason of this is, That it is only Donation or the will of the Donor signified, that can efficiently convey a right to his own Benefits. The Receiver is not the Giver, and therefore