Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

and Moral Works. 73 Covenant as fìsch loth not abfolntely promife 'orgive right to fo much Graceas (hall certainly caufe the. baptized to perfevere; that is, all that are rightfully baptized ( even coramDeo as well as"coram Ecelefia) have not perfeverance fecured to them by baptifm. But only the Holy Ghofi isgiven tothem by Covenant tobe their.Sanótifier, and carry on his work to their Salvation, if they will ufe thofe means which God hath ap- pointed, and cloth enable them to ufe, inattendanceon 'his Spirit. Though Ele&ion infer the certainty of perfeverance, I' never law their affertions proved, who fay, : r. That if Adam had "once obeyed ( fay force ) or overcome that one Temptation L fay others ) God pro- mifed,confirmation:fo: him and all his Pofterity. 2. That the Baptifmal- Covenant promileth confirmationand certain perfeverance to all the baptized , regenerate or juftified. What God doth , I anti not now queftioning; but what inthat Covenant he promifeth to do. 175. It is plain in the Scripture, 'that when men are converted and baptized, the particular helps of Grace are promifed them upon further particular conditions : And that the continuance of Pardon and Right to Life , is promifed them upon the continuance oftheir Faith , and ufe of eieáni 5 And that aElual Glorification is promifed them on con- dition of overcoming and perfivering: And therefore that we muft ufe and take all there asconditions. 576. It is ordinary with force Writers and Preachers to tell men, What mutt be in our that nopart of theirRighteoufnefs is in themfelves ; and with others, that felves' at leaft none which they arejuilifzed by in any part is in them; and that it is all in Chivyonly : And that nature is loth to yield to this, but think- eth it a fine thing to have Tome little part ofthe honour to it felf: And as to the honour of a good Aáíon,, if it be but 999 parts that it afcribeth to God, and taketh one part of a thenfand to our felves, it is a dangerous arrogation : we muft have none..] This well ex- plained, may be made found : But thus grofly delivered, it is but a popular cheat under the taking pretence offelf- abafement and giving Chriff all. The Devil is as willingasany one, that you fhould have nothing honourable or praife- worthy in you : and be as vile as he can makeyou. It is God who honoureth thole that honour him, and praifeth his Saints as theexcellent on Earth, and his jewels andpeculiar Treafure; adorned with his own lovely Image, and partakers of the Divine Nature, and members of Chrift, as his own Flefh: And it is Satan and wicked men that vilifie and difhonour them. And I have oft lamented it, thatthefe very men that hold this kind of Doólrine of felf-abafement, as havingno part of Rightepufnefs, nor (hare at all in any good work", are yet too oft fo proudly conceited of their own goodnefs ( even for holding that they have none for which they are praife-worthy) as that their pride is no fmall trouble to the Churches and all about them. 177. What -ever is of God is good : and what-ever is good is lauda- ble orpraife -worthy, and meritethto be efleemed as it is. 178. All thefamlified are inherently righteous : But with an imperfeif righteeufnef, which will no further juftifie them in Judgment, fave only again(t this Accufation, that theyare unholy. 179. There isno Righteoufnef which will not jullifie him that hath it, in tantum, fo far a he is righteous : For the contrary is a contra. di&ion. For tabe jolt is to be ju(tifiable: He -that gave but fix pence to the poor is juftifiable againft this Accufation , that he did not give it. 180. All

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