A26923:959
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
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.
Man is now sinful, and condemned by the first Law, and is now under a Law of Grace, that freely giveth Pardon and Life through a Redeemer, to those that believingly accept the Gift according to its nature, and consent by Repentance to turn to God, and live a holy life in sincerity: Now God doth through all the Scripture tell us, That no one shall pass with God for a just man, or be saved, that will not do this, but shall be condemned further for refusing it: And thus he that doth Righteousness is righteous, and all shall be judged according to their works, thus required by the Law of Grace. To deny this, is to deny the scope of the whole Scripture, and the Government of God.
But Paul disputed against those that taught that the Gentiles must be proselyted, and keep the Law of Moses, or else they could not be ⟨p. 253⟩accounted just men, nor be saved: And he proveth, that the Gentiles being under the Law of Grace, may pass with God for just men and be saved, if they [Believingly accept the Gift of Grace according to its nature, and consent by Repentance to turn to God, and live a holy life in sincerity] though they keep not the Jewish Law: Yea, further, that though the Jewish Fathers were obliged to keep that Law, it was as it belonged to the Covenant of Grace and of Faith, and that before that Law was given Abraham and others, were just and saved by Faith, according to the universal Law of Grace; and that the Task of Works, according to the Mosaical Law, will of it self make no man just or savable, and consequently no other Task of Works, which would make the Reward to be not of Grace but of Debt, and is opposed to, or separated from Redemption and the free condonation and donation of the Covenant of Grace.] This is the plain drift of Paul.
§. 55. Works of Evangelical gratitude, love, and obedience, according to the Law of Grace, subordinate to, and supposing Redemption and the free gift of Pardon and Life to penitent believing Accepters, are those that Christ and James and all the Scripture make necessary to Salvation; and our Consent and Covenant so to obey is necessary to our first or initial Justification; and our actual Obedience to the Continuance and Confirmation of it. But a Task of Works either of Moses's Law or any other set against Redemption and free Grace, or not as aforesaid, duly subordinate to them, is disclaimed by Paul and all Christians, as that which