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,…

365. All this then is past controversy among considerate understanding men, 1. That Works justify us not as perfect, according to the Covenant of Innocence, because we have them not. 2. That the Works or keeping of Mose's Law, as conceited sufficient, or as set in opposition against, or competition with a Saviour or free Gift, or any otherwise than as the exercises of mere Obedience under Christ (as Mary, •• chary, Elizabeth, Simeon, John Baptist, David, &c. used them,) could justify no man. 3. That consequently no other Works set up either in the said opposition or competition, or as any thing of Merit, or worth is ascribed to them, which is proper to Christ, or any part of the honour of Gods free Gift, can justify no man; nor any other way, than as mere conditions, and exercises of thankful obedience or acceptance, in pure subordination to God's Mercy, and Christ's Merits, and the free Gift.

365. All this then is past controversie among considerate understanding men, 1. That Works justifie us not as perfect, according to the Covenant of Innocence, because we have them not. 2. That the Works or keeping of Mose's Law, as conceited sufficient, or as set in opposition against, or competition with a Saviour or free Gift, or any otherwise than as the exercises of meer Obedience under Christ (as Mary, •• chary, Elizabeth, Simeon, John Baptist, David, &c. used them,) could justifie no man. 3. That consequently no other Works set up either in the said opposition or competition, or as any thing of Merit, or worth is ascribed to them, which is proper to Christ, or any part of the honour of Gods free Gift, can justifie no man; nor any other way, than as meer conditions, and exercises of thankful obedience or acceptance, in pure subordination to God's Mercy, and Christ's Merits, and the free Gift.

But that Works are not excluded from being conditions of our justification, or the matter of it in any of these following respects: 1. That Faith it self, which is our act, and an act of Obedience to God, and is the fiducial accepting belief in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for the benefits of the Covenant, is the condition of our first Covenant right to these Benefits. 2. That this Faith is not actual Obedience to Christ as Christ (at first, but only to God as God). But it is the Souls subjection to Christ as Christ, which is our Covenant-consent to our future Obedience, and virtually, though not actually, containeth our future Obedience in it. 3. That there is somewhat of love, consent or willingness, of Desire, of Hope, of Repentance, which goeth to make up this moral work of Faith, as it is the condition; even our first Christianity it self. 4. That as the making of a Covenant is for the performing of it, and subjection is for Obedience and Marriage for conjugal Duties, so our said first Covenanting-Faith is for our future Faith, Hope, Comfort, and grateful Obedience and Holiness: And these are the secondary parts of