Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

( 3 ) Apoftles are far fitter for our imitation. Darold fills moll ofhis Pfalms with fiich complaints of his Enemies,and curfesagainft them, as thew a far deeper fenfe :of the fuffering of the flefh, and the concerns of this lite, than Peter and Paul fhew'd, who fuffer'd far more, and for a holier Caufe, and rejoyc'd in Tribula- tion ; and then is fuitableeither to the Precepts or Examples of Chrift. All was notwell faid and doneby good Men which is recited in the NewTe(tament, much lefs in the Old. So far are they mi(taken thatfay, the Jews and Gentiles were bound to believe theApoftles in nomore than they prov'd out ofthe Scripture ; that molt of the Creed was tobe believ'd byother Evidences, and Chrift and his Apofties gave us fo fullproofof the Truth of theGofpel, as that their atteftationofthe Old Tetla- ment is to us a more convincing proofof its Divine Authority, thanany others. Therefore Chriftians muff read and honour the Old Te (lament, and ftudy it, but theNew far more,to which it isthat the HeartandLife mutt beeonform'd. There Heavenly Glory fhineth far more clearly, and the Wonders of Divine Love are more abundantly manifeÍied,andfargreater Powerof theSpirit is given, tomake all effe&ual in Faith, Hope and Patience, Humility, Obedience and Love, which now are become the very Nature of aTrue Believer. VI. How the infallible Truth of theGofpel is prov'd by the foie witnefs ofthe Hely Ghoft, I have open'd fo largely in many Books, that I mutt not here repeat it ; that is, t. By theold Teftimonies of Prophecies, Types, Sacrifices. a.. By the inherent and concomitant Teftimonies, even God's Image ofDivine Wifdom,Love and Power, on Chrift and the Gofpel. 3. Themanifold Teftimonies inandby the Apoftles, their miraculous Works andholy Dolllrine, e'Yc. 4. TheTeftimony of the Spirit in theChriflians of thofeTimes, who receiv'd the HolyGhoft by the impotitionof theApoftles hands, for the like Giftsand Miracles. S. Thecontinued evidence of the Spirit'sSan&ification in all True Believers in all Generations,ec. But it mull be known, that Chrift'sRefurrel7ion and Miracles, and moli ofthe Apoftles, feal'd the Gofpel as preach'd before it was written. And that the ne- cefrary fum of the Gofpel fo feal'd was in a narrow room, even the Sacramental Covenantwith its explication, and the Hiflory of Chrift therein fuppos'd. And thatthe fincere beliefand pra&ice of fo much, will certainly be faving : But yet the ufefulnefs ofthe whole Scripture, as containing the compleat revelation of God's Will recorded forall fucceeding Ages,is an unfpeakable mercy to theChurch. So weak is Man's Memory, fo bad a great part of theWorld, and the Clergy as well as others fo inclinable toErrors and Seas, and to force evenGod's Word ro feem to juftifie their Errors andSins ; andoffo many crofs interefts and mindsare Men, fo very falfe the worft, and fountrufty even thebetter fort, and foliable all worldlythings to degenerate and change, that he is utterly blinded herein, who thinks that Oral Tradition would have fafelydeliver'ddown thewhole mind ofGod unchan&ably, and with certainty. And pet tohis praife we mutt acknowledge that i. TheEffenrials ofReligion have by themfelves been deliver'd us inBaprism,and many ways (oft nam'd) with infallible certainty. z. And fo hath the Bible itfelf, evenby fuch Hiftorical Tradition whichbath an evidence truly call'd Phyfical, in that it arifeth not only from free contingent, but from neceffary caufes, even the Confent of Men of contrary interefts, in aas whicharctruly neceffary; and be- caufe there are not in Nature caufes that could produce a fallification (as is elfe- whereopen'd.) As for them that are fo far from taking the NewTeffament to have the nature of aLaw, that they fay,Chrift bath no Law, or hath made none; they thereby make him to be no King, and have no Soveraign Governing power (ofwhich Legiflation is the chief part) : and fo far are they from the Truth as that there is no Divine Law but Chrift's in force, for all power in Heaven and Earth is given now to him, and all things deliver' into his hand, and the Father (withouthim) judgeth no roan, but bath committedall yudgment to the Son, who for this enddied, rofe and reviv'd, that he might be'Lord of thedead and living, Band Head over all things to his Church, Mat. 28.19. lobs 13. I, 2, 3. & 17.2. John f 22. Rom.14.10. Eph.

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