A55299:165
An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…
An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ, and our union and communion with him by Edward Polhill ..., Esquire.
London: printed for Ben. Foster, 1675
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.
What need all this sport with Faiths Humility or Infirmity?1 An humble Grace Faith is, it empties the Soul of it self, gives all Glory to God, hangs upon Christ and free Grace, and hath all in a way of receiving and dependence; and seeing its Nature and aptitude to Evangelical purposes is such, it is no wonder at all, that God set his stamp upon it, and marked it out for an Evangelical Medium, to receive Christ and his Righteousness unto Justification; Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, saith the Apostle, Rom. 4.16. Fides & Gratia commeant, mutuò see ponunt & tollunt; Fides sola Gratiâ nititur, Gratia tantùm credenti promittitur, saith the Learned Paraeus on the place. Let us hear our Church ⟨p. 142⟩in this matter:2 This saying, that we be justified by Faith only, freely and without Works, is spoken, to take away clearly all merit of our Works, as being unable to deserve Justification at Gods hands; and thereby most plainly to express, the weakness of Man and goodness of God, the great infirmity of our selves, and the might and power of God, the imperfectness of our own works, and the most abundant Grace of our Saviour Christ. But to go on; infirm Faith is, because of the adherent Corruption, which is apt to blear its eyes, and give it a palsy hand and trembling legs; however, if it be true, it entitles to Christ and his Righteousness: Invoco te, Domine, languidâ & imbecillâ fide, sed fide tamen, said Cruciger the German Divine. Those men, whom the Author opposes, hold no such thing as meriting by Tears or any thing else of our own, but caution against it: Indeed the Author thinks there is no danger in repentant Tears; but Humane pride, such is its venomous Nature, is ready to swell at any small matter, which hath but any shadow of excellency in it: The heart of good Hezekiah was lifted up, over his Silver, and Gold, and Treasures, and precious things, which yet were of a ⟨p. 143⟩much lower value than his devotional Tears, which shows the proneness of our Nature to that sin.
What need all this sport with Faiths Humility or Infirmity?