A27029:102
The Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, grace, and free justification vindicated against the libertines…
The Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, grace, and free justification vindicated against the libertines ... in two books : the first, a breviate of fifty controversies about justification ... : the second upon the sudden reviving of antinomianism ... and the re-printing of Dr. Crisp's sermons with additions ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1690
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.
If Faith had no more fitness to be the condition of Justification than Unbelief or hating God, and if Godliness or Holiness had no more fitness to be the Condition of our Salvation than wickedness, they would not have been deputed to this place, Office and Honour.
If Faith had no more fitness to be the condition of Justification than Ʋnbelief or hating God, and if Godliness or Holiness had no more fitness to be the Condition of our Salvation than wickedness, they would not have been deputed to this place, Office and Honour.
Faith is no Condition of Gods making the promise (He absolutely made some Conditional promises, and others only on conditions performed by Christ.) But it is the condition of our right to or possession of the thing promised; or of the event.
Faith is no Condition of Gods making the promise (He abso•utely made some Conditional promises, and others only on conditions performed by Christ.) But it is the condition of our right to or possession of the thing promised; or of the event.
Either the deniers of conditions deny all or but some. If all then they deny that Christ performed any conditions. If but some, they deny either the name only, or the thing also. If the name only. 1. Is it worth their Zeal and Contention? 2. Are they not singular; and singularity in the use of words tendeth to causeless quarrels. 3. Why do they not commend to us some better name for the same thing? Grammar and common use hath taught us this. Dr. Twice hath found another, oft and oft ⟨p. 13⟩saying that [Faith is a dispositive cause of Justification.] I dislike not his notion, save that, 1. It is too general there being more dispositive causes besides Conditions. 2. That it is not Political enough as the Subject requireth (or Civil.) 3. That it is in two words when one is better; and 4. That the very terms [Cause] is liable to mistake. For faith is no efficient cause of Justification, principal nor instrumental: We must not ascribe so much to it. Nor is it a final cause, nor the formal cause. But it is as the Dr. speaketh Dispositio Subjecti recipientis: Not a natural, but Moral disposition; Yet made such by Gods institution, because the very nature of the act containeth a fitness to its receptive Office; even as it is the believing acceptance of such a free and wonderful gift to such special ends and uses.