A26923:1122
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 25: Of good Works and Merit, and trusting to any thing of our own.
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.
§. 45. 4. This moral Aptitude for the Reward is amiable and pleasing to God; and therefore he calleth the Reward in the Gospel usually [Greek or Hebrew], which properly signifieth Wages, which men give by Commutative Justice: But that is only metaphorically, because God that cannot be profited by man, is yet pleased in that which profiteth our selves and one another, and glorifieth him by declaring his Perfections: And as if this were profiting him, he calleth it Wages, for some similitude, but not in proper sense.
§. 45. 4. This moral Aptitude for the Reward is amiable and pleasing to God; and therefore he calleth the Reward in the Gospel usually 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, which properly signifieth Wages, which men give by Commutative Iustice: But that is only metaphorically, because God that cannot be profited by man, is yet pleased in that which profiteth our selves and one another, and glorifieth him by declaring his Perfections: And as if this were profiting him, he calleth it Wages, for some similitude, but not in proper sence.
§. 46. 5. This moral Aptitude, for the Reward is called oft in Scripture Worthiness, [Greek or Hebrew], which is of the same signification with Merit: To be worthy and to deserve, are here all one: So that so far Merit (Worthiness) is a Scripture Phrase.
§. 46. 5. This moral Aptitude, for the Reward is called oft in Scripture Worthiness, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, which is of the same signification with Merit: To be worthy and to deserve, are here all one: So that so far Merit (Worthiness) is a Scripture Phrase.
§. 47. 6. This Worthiness or Merit is only in point of Paternal Governing-Justice, according to the Law of Grace, ordering that which in it self is a free Gift merited by Christ.