A26864:184
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.
§. 12.
Mr Bl. The Spirit will do nothing without our faith, and our faith can do nothing without the Spirit. Man cannot justify himself by believing without God, and God will not justify an unbelieving man. Faith then is the act of man; man believes, yet the instrument of God, that justifies only believers.
Mr Bl. THe Spirit will do nothing without our faith, and our faith can do nothing without the Spirit. Man cannot justifie himself by beleeving without God, and God will not justifie an unbeleeving man. Faith then is the act of man; man beleeves, yet the instrument of God, that justifies only beleevers.
§. 12.
R. B. 1. The Spirits working in Sanctification, is nothing to our question of Justification. 2. The Spirit worketh our first faith without faiths co-working; and that is more then nothing. 3. The Spirit moveth faith to action, before faith move it self: and that is more then nothing. 4. It is not so easily proved as said, that the Spirit never exciteth any good act in the soul, nor yet restraineth from any evil, without the co-working or instrumentality of faith. But these are beside the point. 5. When you have laid down one Proposition [Man cannot justify himself by believing, without God,] how fairly do you lay down this as the disjunct Proposition? [and God will not justify an unbelieving man.] Concedo totum. Is that your Conclusion? Would you have no more? Who would have thought but you would rather have said [Nor will God justify man, unless his faith be the instrument of it?] And do you not seem to imply that man with God doth justify himself, when you say [Man cannot justify himself by believing without God?] No, nor with him neither? For none can forgive sins but God only, even to another: but who can forgive himself? Indeed I have thought what a sad case the Pope is in, that is the only man on earth that hath no visible pardoner of his sin: he can forgive others; but who shall forgive him? But I forgot that every believer forgiveth himself; for I did not believe it. 6. How nakedly is it again affirmed, without the least proof, that our faith is Gods instrument in justifying? Doth God effect our Justification by the instrumental, efficient causation of our faith? Let him believe it that is so happy as to see it proved, and not barely affirmed.