A26923:1027
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 23: How Faith justifieth; and how it is imputed to us for Righteousness.
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. 6. This moral receiving is that Faith which I before at large described, and is sometime called Believing, and sometime Trusting, because it is in whole a believing fiducial Consent.
§. 13. 7. This Belief and Consent or Acceptance, hath essentially for its object all that is essential to Christ, as our Saviour; his Natures, Person, his Humiliation, Obedience, his Sacrifice and Resurrection, his Intercession, Dominion, Judgment, together with his Doctrine, Promises, and Grace; besides God himself and the Heavenly Glory: And it is not true Faith that hath not all this, at least confusedly and in some degree.
§. 14. 8. They that say, Faith justifieth as it receiveth Christ's Righteousness, and not as it receiveth Christ himself in relation, or at least not as Teacher, Lord, Intercessor, &c. do draw men into deceit by a Phrase which intimateth a false supposition, or two, viz. 1. It is false that Faith justifieth us, if they mean efficiently; as shall be showed anon. But it is true, (though some deny it) that Faith justifieth constitutively, so far as it is it self our personal inherent Righteousness, (of which after): But this they mean not: Nor is Faith in Christ's righteousness any more our inherent Righteousness than Faith in his Promises, ⟨p. 271⟩his Intercession or his Government, or in God the Father. 2. It is false, that Faith as Faith doth justify; either as it is Faith in this or that or the other part of the Office of Christ; for then we should be justified, as they call it, by that •o credere; and then if God had not made Faith the Condition of Justification, yet qua talis it would have justified.
§. 14. 8. They that say, Faith justifyeth as it receiveth Christ's Righteousness, and not as it receiveth Christ himself in relation, or at least not as Teacher, Lord, Intercessor, &c. do draw men into deceit by a Phrase which intimateth a false supposition, or two, viz. 1. It is false that Faith justifieth us, if they mean efficiently; as shall be shewed anon. But it is true, (though some deny it) that Faith justifyeth constitutively, so far as it is it self our personal inherent Righteousness, (of which after): But this they mean not: Nor is Faith in Christ's righteousness any more our inherent Righteousness than Faith in his Promises,