A26947:1049
A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all…A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all…
A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all that are but truly willing to understand, whether the cause of the Roman or reformed churches be of God ... containing some arguments by which the meanest may see the vanity of popery, and 40 detections of their fraud, with directions, and materials sufficient for the confutation of their voluminous deceits ... : the second part showeth (especially against the French and Grotians) that the Catholic Church is not united in any merely humane head, either Pope or council / by Richard Baxter, a Catholic Christian and Pastor of a church ...A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand, whether the cause of the Roman or reformed churches be of God ... containing some arguments by which the meanest may see the vanity of popery, and 40 detections of their fraud, with directions, and materials sufficient for the confutation of their voluminous deceits ... : the second part sheweth (especially against the French and Grotians) that the Catholick Church is not united in any meerly humane head, either Pope or council / by Richard Baxter, a Catholick Christian and Pastor of a church ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
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.
His seventh Accusation is [Scripture saith that there are wicked men and reprobates, that believe in Christ: But you contend that they believe not, but have only a shadow of faith: which no Scripture saith.]
Answ. Again, a quarrel about the name of faith, unworthy serious men! We say that Reprobates do believe, and we say that they believe not, taking belief in different senses. We believe what ever the Scripture saith, even that the Devils believe and tremble: and yet as Believers and Christians are all one, we are loath to call the Devils Believers and Christians; but you may do it, if you please. As Belief signifieth a bare uneffectuall ⟨p. 286⟩conviction or superficial Assent which you call fides informis, so we still confess that the wicked may believe. But as Belief signifieth our Receiving of Christ, and Coming to him, and being planted into him as his members, and taking him heartily as Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and so becoming Christians and Disciples: as it signifieth such a faith that hath the promise of pardon of sin, of Adoption, and of Glory, so we say that the wicked have but a show or shadow of it. And this is the sense of the words of Calvin, P. Martyr, Beza, and Danaeus, whom you cite. And do you not think so your selves? Indeed you know not what to believe in this, as I have showed in Postscript to my Disput. of Sacraments.
Answ. Again, a quarrel about the name of faith, unworthy serious men! We say that Reprobates do believe, and we say that they believe not, taking belief in different senses. We believe what ever the Scripture saith, even that the Devils believe and tremble: and yet as Believers and Christians are all one, we are loath to call the Devils Believers and Christians; but you may do it, if you please. As Belief signifieth a bare uneffectuall ⟨p. 286⟩conviction or superficial Assent which you call fides informis, so we still confess that the wicked may believe. But as Belief signifieth our Receiving of Christ, and Coming to him, and being planted into him as his members, and taking him heartily as Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and so becoming Christians and Disciples: as it signifieth such a faith that hath the promise of pardon of sin, of Adoption, and of Glory, so we say that the wicked have but a shew or shadow of it. And this is the sense of the words of Calvin, P. Martyr, Beza, and Danaeus, whom you cite. And do you not think so your selves? Indeed you know not what to believe in this, as I have shewed in Postscript to my Disput. of Sacraments.