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,…

Lib. No: you proved more before.

P. Quest. 2. If the Devil, or Men, or a mistaking Conscience, should say that you (or any Saint) is an Infidel, or hath no faith, how must you be justified against that charge?

Lib. By denying it, and by maintaining that I do believe.

Lib. By denying it, and averring that I did Repent.

P. So then, your Repentance it self must so far justify you. And Quest. 4. If you are charged to have been an ungodly person to the last, or not to have loved God, or your neighbour, not to have called on God, nor confessed Christ before men, nor to have fed, clothed and visited him (as you could) in his members, or not to have mortified your fleshly lusts, but to have lived after the flesh, in murder, theft, whoredom, drunkenness, &c. What is your righteousness against this accusation?

P. So then, your Repentance it self must so far justifie you. And Quest. 4. If you are charged to have been an ungodly person to the last, or not to have loved God, or your neighbour, not to have called on God, nor confessed Christ before men, nor to have fed, clothed and visited him (as you could) in his members, or not to have mortified your fleshly lusts, but to have lived after the flesh, in murder, theft, whoredom, drunkenness, &c. What is your righteousness against this accusation?

Lib. I must defend my self against a lye by denying it to be true: I must be so far justified, that is, vindicated against Calumny by my innocency in those points.

P. Very good: so far then you must be justified by your godliness, love, obedience, mortification, innocency and works. And what if you be charged as an Hypocrite to have done all that you did in mere dissimulation, how must you be therein justified?

P. Very good: so far then you must be justified by your godliness, love, obedience, mortification, innocency and works. And what if you be charged as an Hypocrite to have done all that you did in meer dissimulation, how must you be therein justified?

Lib. By denying the charge, and appeal to God that I was sincere.

P. So then, your sincerity is so far your justifying righteousness. And what if you are charged with Apostasy, that you fell from Grace, must you not be justified by pleading your Perseverance?

P. So then, your sincerity is so far your justifying righteousness. And what if you are charged with Apostasie, that you fell from Grace, must you not be justified by pleading your Perseverance?

Lib. These are none of the Justification which the Scripture speaketh of: which is only against true accusations, and not against false ones.

P. Say you so? What if one be truly accused, that he hath no part in Christ? and that his sin is unpardoned? or that he is under the guilt of damnation by the obligation both of the Old Covenant and the New? or that he never truly repented or believed? or that he is unsanctified, and never sincerely obeyed Christ, &c. Is this man justifiable?

Lib. No: I say not that all men are justifiable: But who ever is Justified in Scripture sense, is justified only from a true Accusation.

Lib. No: I say not that all men are justifyable: But who ever is Justified in Scripture sense, is justified only from a true Accusation.

P. What is that true Accusation?

Lib. That he is a sinner, and deserveth damnation according to the Law, and that he hath no righteousness of his own.

P. Must he not confess all this to be True, if it be True? And is not confessing the Guilt which he is accused of, contrary to justifying him? Do you not see here what Confusion you cast your self into for want of noting the various senses of Justification? If by Justifying we mean Making an unjust man just, then it is true that he is justified from his Guilt, that is, he is pardoned; and he is justified from the Laws condemnation, that is, a man condemned by the Law is pardoned; and he is justified from his reigning sin, that is, he is sanctified: But this Justification is not opposite to Accusation, but to Being unjust. But if you speak of Justification by Plea or Sentence, it is contrary to Accusation of Guilt: And so no man is justified that is not Just, or Guiltless in the point of which he is accused. God will by no means clear the guilty, or justify the unjust, Exod. 34. 7, 8. nor say of the wicked, Thou art Righteous, Prov. 24. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 17. & 2. 23. Jer. 11. 20. Rom. 1. 32. & 2. 2. But that you are quite mistaken in saying, that Scripture never mentioneth Justifying man from a false accusation, these and many such Texts show, Rom. 8. 33. Isa. 50. 8. Prov. 17. 15. 1 Kings 8. 32. James 2. 21, 24, 25. Rom. 2. 13. Luke 7. 29.