R. May not Papists, Familists, Seekers, Quakers and all Sects say the same against Concord and Compliance with you?
I pray you tell me what you think of these following words, before you know who wrote them; and take heed what you say of them, lest you strike you know not whom.
[Quest▪ How is Justification free, seeing faith and repentance are required to it? Answ. There are two answers given; One is from Augustine's doctrine Epist. 105. the sum is, As Justification is taken inclusively, taking in Faith and Repentance as its beginning, it is free, because faith is free: But as it is taken narrowly for Justification following ⟨p. 281⟩faith that is, for Remission of sin, and Reconciliation with God, it is merited by faith. But the other solution I more approve, and it seemeth more agreeable to Scripture: to wit, that even Remission of sin it self and Reconciliation with God, are given freely, no Merit of ours going before, and that neither by faith nor repentance we do merit the gift of this grace: For understanding of which, Note, that Faith hath not of it self any efficacy as it is our act, to Remit or Reconcile; but all the Virtue proceedeth from the object it self, that is, Christ; who•e Virtue and Merit God hath determined to apply to a sinner for his justification by faith in him: And what I say of Faith, I say of Repentance, and other dispositions, as in the example of them that looked to the Brazen Serpent, who were healed by looking: not that looking as it was an act of the eye had such a healing force▪ but the efficacy was from the Serpent, which God had appointed for the Joure. So we say▪ of Faith, which hath not in its nature and from its entity any power to Remit and Reconcile, but as the Virtue of Christ doth this in believers: And so I answer, that If Faith justified as an act and of it self, Justification were not free; But so it doth not, but is a Medium by Gods good pleasure, by which the Virtue of Christ Justifieth believers: therefore faith (or repentance,) make it not l•ss free▪ •. g. I give a Beggar a gift: He puts forth his hand and taketh it: If one tell me, Thou gavest it not freely, because he took it, or else had not had it, it were a ridiculous objection: For putting forth the hand doth not of it self bring him a gift: else every time that he puts forth his hand it would bring in a gift: But it is from the virtue and bounty of the giver.
R. May not Papists, Familists, Seekers, Quakers and all Sects say the same against Concord and Complyance with you?
I pray you tell me what you think of these following words, before you know who wrote them; and take heed what you say of them, lest you strike you know not whom.
[Quest▪ How is Justification free, seeing faith and repentance are required to it? Answ. There are two answers given; One is from Augustines doctrine Epist. 105. the summ is, As Justification is taken inclusively, taking in Faith and Repentance as its beginning, it is free, because faith is free: But as it is taken narrowly for Justification following ⟨p. 281⟩faith that is, for Remission of sin, and Reconciliation with God, it is merited by faith. But the other solution I more approve, and it seemeth more agreeable to Scripture: to wit, that even Remission of sin it self and Reconciliation with God, are given freely, no Merit of ours going before, and that neither by faith nor repentance we do merit the gift of this grace: For understanding of which, Note, that Faith hath not of it self any efficacy as it is our act, to Remit or Reconcile; but all the Vertue proceedeth from the object it self, that is, Christ; who•e Vertue and Merit God hath determined to apply to a sinner for his justification by faith in him: And what I say of Faith, I say of Repentance, and other dispositions, as in the example of them that looked to the Brazen Serpent, who were healed by looking: not that looking as it was an act of the eye had such a healing force▪ but the effica•y was from the Serpent, which God had appointed for the Ioure. So we say▪ of Faith, which hath not in its nature and from its entity any power to Remit and Reconcile, but as the Vertue of Christ doth this in believers: And so I answer, that If Faith justified as an act and of it self, Justification were not free; But so it doth not, but is a Medi•m by Gods good pleasure, by which the Vertue of Christ Justifieth believers: therefore faith (or repentance,) make it not l•ss free▪ •. g. I give a Beggar a gift: He puts forth his hand and taketh it: If one tell me, Thou gavest it not freely, because he took it, or else had not had it, it were a ridiculous objection: For putting forth the hand doth not of it self bring him a gift: else every time that he puts forth his hand it would bring in a gift: But it is from the vertue and bounty of the giver.
