A26974:461
Of justification four disputations clearing and amicably defending the truth against the unnecessary oppositions…
Of justification four disputations clearing and amicably defending the truth against the unnecessary oppositions of divers learned and reverend brethren / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1658
Whether Works are a Condition of Justification? And so whether we a… › Part
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.
4. Its not easy to conceive how any man can expect a Legal or Pharisaical Justification by Evangelical works without a gross contradiction: For example; to be justified Legally by Evangelical faith, desire, love, thanks, joy, self-denial, confession, &c. are all palpable contradictions: And such a mans faith must be thus expressed; I expect to merit Justification legally, by believing in Christ as the sole Meriter of my Justification and salvation, or by desiring Christ, or by loving Christ as the sole Meriter of my salvation: Or by thanking him, or rejoicing in him as the Sole-meriter of my salvation? Or I expect legally to merit Justification, by denying that I can merit it, by any righteousness of my own; or by confessing that I deserve damnation by my sins, or by praying or seeking for salvation by free gift, as merited only by Christ.] All these are palpable contradictions; and no man can hold both that knoweth what he doth.
4. Its not easie to conceive how any man can expect a Legal or Pharisaical Iustification by Evangelical works without a gross contradiction: For example; to be justified Legally by Evangelical faith, desire, love, thanks, joy, self-denyal, confession, &c. are all palpable contradictions: And such a mans faith must be thus exprest; I expect to merit Iustification legally, by believing in Christ as the sole Meriter of my Iustification and salvation, or by desiring Christ, or by loving Christ as the sole Meriter of my salvation: Or by thanking him, or rejoycing in him as the Sole-meriter of my salvation? Or I expect legally to merit Iustification, by denying that I can merit it, by any righteousness of my own; or by confessing that I deserve damnation by my sins, or by praying or seeking for salvation by free gift, as merited only by Christ.] All these are palpable contradictions; and no man can hold both that knoweth what he doth.
5. Yet I will suppose that though no man can so trust to his works for legal Justification, that are apprehended by him as Formally Evangelical, yet perhaps he may do it by some works that are Materially Evangelical, and fancied by him to be what they are not. And so I still say, that though it were Legal works that Paul did directly dispute against, yet consequentially and indirectly he disputeth against works commanded only in the Gospel, if men will do them to Legal ends, and fancy them to be of the value legally to justify them.