A26923:1040
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.
2. If Justification be taken for making us just Performers of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace; so Faith justifieth us, 1. Constitutively initially, as it is the beginning of that Righteousness it self. 2. And by a moral efficiency, as it is a cause of Love and Obedience.
3. If Justification be taken for the Gift, or right to Impunity and Life in and with Christ, so Faith is the Condition of it, and no otherwise justifieth.
4. But if any will call this by the name of a Submerit, with the Ancients, meaning but that it meriteth Justification, as a Child meriteth a piece ⟨p. 275⟩of Gold from his Father, by putting off his Hat, and saying, I thank you, and humbly taking it, instead of scornful or neglectful refusing it, I will not quarrel with any such.
§. 25. But remember, that as wise men seldom make any thing a Condition of a gift, which hath no worth in it to please them; so God saw, and put such a worth or aptitude in Faith, or else he had not so much as commanded it.