Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

§. Still more presumption; 1. Where saith the Scripture so? 2. You must not assert absurdities or presumptions, and then think to put off the detection of them, by calling it curious? If this be true, doubtless it was Christs first act of Obedience which merited Glory for us. And so it is that first only that must be imputed to us, to that end. And who ever thought so before you? The Friars have some of them said, That minima guttula sanguinis Christi, One drop of his blood was enough to redeem all the World: And our Divines say, Why then was the rest shed? So I ask you, 1. Why did Christ do all the rest of his Obedience after the first Act? Hath none of it the same end and use? 2. How shall we be sure that a Sinner must not plead or trust to any of Christ's Righteousness, ⟨p. 17⟩but the first act for his Justification and Reward? or must he trust for it to that which was never by Christ intended for it? 3. This is contrary to the Scripture, which layeth our Justification on his whole Righteousness as meritorious, and on his Obedience to the Death, and on his rising again, and on other parts first, Rom. 4. 24. & 5. throughout, &c. 4. Sure they that are so curious, as to tell us which physical act of Faith justifieth (in specie & numero) (for some say only the first instantaneous act doth justify,) will not think it curiosity to enquire which one Act of Christs Obedience justifieth us? when according to your Doctrine, it is evident that it must be the first: And they that say, It is Justification by Works, to be justified by any act of Faith in specie, besides the recumbency on his Righteousness to be imputed to us, or by any numero besides the first, will likely say that it is Justification by another Righteousness than that which the Scripture saith is imputed to us, to be justified by the Imputation of any but the first Act of Christ's Obedience. Or else that (if all be imputed) we have a redundancy of Righteousness, and deserve many Heavens, or one oftener than needs. But when men have received some unsound Principles, all things must be forced to comply with them.

§. Still more presumption; 1. Where saith the Scripture so? 2. You must not assert absurdities or presumptions, and then think to put off the detection of them, by calling it curious? If this be true, doubtless it was Christs first act of Obedience which merited Glory for us. And so it is that first only that must be imputed to us, to that end. And who ever thought so before you? The Fryars have some of them said, That minima guttula sanguinis Christi, One drop of his blood was enough to redeem all the World: And our Divines say, Why then was the rest shed? So I ask you, 1. Why did Christ do all the rest of his Obedience after the first Act? Hath none of it the same end and use? 2. How shall we be sure that a Sinner must not plead or trust to any of Christ's Righteousness,