A26923:1144
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.
§. 63. V. About the next Question I may yet be shorter, How far any Works of ours may be trusted in?
I think all agree, 1. That nothing of ours (or any Creature) should be trusted to for any thing proper to God, or proper to Christ, or any thing that belongeth not truly to it self. He that ascribeth any thing to our Faith, Love, or Obedience, which is proper to Christ's Merits, or God's Mercy, and so trusteth them, doth greatly sin, and he that trusteth them for more than God hath assigned to them to do.
§. 64. 2. That we must take heed of scandalous Language, and therefore must not talk of trusting on any act of our own, when it is like to be understood, as put in Competition with God or with Christ's Merits; as if the Question were, Whether we must trust God, or our selves, Christ's Righteousness or our own? For our own is not in the least measure to be trusted for that which belongeth only to Christ's Righteousness to be, or do.
§. 64. 2. That we must take heed of scandaous Language, and therefore must not talk of trusting on any act of our own, when it is like to be understood, as put in Competition with God or with Christ's Merits; as if the Question were, Whether we must trust God, or our selves, Christ's Righteousness or our own? For our own is not in the least measure to be trusted for that which belongeth only to Christ's Righteousness to be, or do.