A26951:1397
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1670
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.
There is much truth in most of the foresaid opinions inclusively, and much falsehood in their several exclusions of all the rest (unless their quarrel be only de nomine, which of all these is fitliest called Justification. For 1. There is no doubt but our pardon, or constituted Justification in Covenant-title, is a virtual sentential Justification. 2. And there is no doubt but God doth esteem them just, that are first made just, and no other (because he erreth not:) And that this estimation is sententia concepta, as distinct from sententia prolata. 3. And it is certain that those Angels that must execute his sentence, must first know it: And it is probable that the Joy [Greek or Hebrew], in the presence of the Angels of God, doth intimate that God useth ordinarily to notify the conver•iod of a sinner to Angels (whether the joy here be meant as Dr. Hammond and others think, Gods Joy signified to Angels, or rather the Angels Joy, by their presence being, in Choro Angelorum, or among them, that is, in them; or both.) 4. And it is granted that God doth usually give some notice of his pardon, at one time or other, more or less to a sinners conscience (though that is too late, too uncertain, too low, and too unequal, and too unconstant to be the great and famous Justification by Faith.) 5. And it is clear, that till death or Judgment, there is no such solemn plenary judicial sentence or declaration as there will be then. 6. And it is certain, that at death and judgment, Christ as Man, a creature, can speak or express himself, as the blessed creatures do to one another. 7 And its certain that God hath a way of expressing himself to creatures, which is beyond our present understandings: But we may conceive of it by the similitude of Light, which in the same instant revealeth millions of things to millions of persons respectively. ⟨p. 330⟩(Though that is nothing to his present Justification of us by Faith, unless as he revealeth it to Angels.) 8. And it is certain, that at the day of death and judgment, God will thus by an irresistible light, lay open every man to himself, and to the world, which may be called his sentence, differing from the execution; and that Christ in our nature will be our Judge, and may express that sentence as aforesaid. 9.
There is much truth in most of the foresaid opinions inclusively, and much falshood in their several exclusions of all the rest (unless their quarrel be only de nomine, which of all these is fitliest called Justification. For 1. There is no doubt but our pardon, or constituted Justification in Covenant-title, is a virtual sentential Justification. 2. And there is no doubt but God doth esteem them just, that are first made just, and no other (bcause he erreth not:) And that this estimation is sententia concepta, as distinct from sententia prolata. 3. And it is certain that those Angels that must execute his sentence, must first know it: And it is probable that the Joy , in the presence of the Angels of God, doth intimate that God useth ordinarily to notifie the converiod of a sinner to Angels (whether the joy here be meant as Dr. Hammond and others think, Gods Joy signified to Angels, or rather the Angels Joy, by their presence being, in Choro Angelorum, or among them, that is, in them; or both.) 4. And it is granted that God doth usually give some notice of his pardon, at one time or other, more or less to a sinners conscience (though that is too late, too uncertain, too low, and too unequal, and too unconstant to be the great and famous Justification by Faith.) 5. And it is clear, that till death or Judgment, there is no such solemn plenary judicial sentence or declaration as there will be then. 6. And it is certain, that at death and judgment, Christ as Man, a creature, can speak or express himself, as the blessed creatures do to one another. 7 And its certain that God hath a way of expressing himself to creatures, which is beyond our present understandings: But we may conceive of it by the similitude of Light, which in the same instant revealeth millions of things to millions of persons respectively.