Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

Of god's gracious Operations on Man's Soul : it is unaltered. I add that word, becaufe, that fo far as the Promife was to give falvation by the Meffiah hereafter to be incarnate, none is now bound to expect his future Incarnation; becaufe it is paft. But the fame benefits that were due tobelievers before Chrifts incarnation, are due fince upon the true performanceof fomuch of the condition as is Rill in force, and not repealed: 3. Andwemutt needs agree, that the Ignorance of the Apoftles before Chrifts fufferings, of his death, facrifice, and refurrecRion, doth fhew, that thefaith of the GodlyJews then, was far more general, ánd lets particu- lar, than the faithnow requiredof Chriftians. 4. And alfo, that more was required then, to be known particularly by the Jews that had the Scripture and Tradition to acquaint them with the Meffiah to come, thanof thereffof theworld, that had not thofe diftinek difcoveries, nor Abraham's promifes made known unto them : And how much Gen. 3. t 5. might caufe them to underitand, we may conjeiiure by the words. At leaft this much was required of all, that they believe that theirfin deferveth patina-lent, and mifery, and yet that God of his abundant mercy, by his Wifdom fecuring his Truthand Juftice, will pardon fin andgrant falvation to all thattruly Believe andTrutt ïn that hisWif- tom and Mercy, and repent of their fins, and unfeignedly give up them. 'felves to Godas their merciful Redeemer. Thus far we are agreed about theGrace of the Covenant. II. Andas, to the fecond fort of Communicative Grace, that is, The Promulgation ofthis Lawof Grace, and offers of the Covenant-Benefits to man, weare and.muftbe.all agreed, a. That (betides what, Tradition fa- crificing did intimate,) the f}rft Editionof the Covenant of Grace ( as is faid) is univerfaily promulgate by Providence. For whereas by the vio- lationof the Law of Innocency, all bleffings were forfeited, and all mife- ries deferved, and no man had any notice by that Law, of any hope or means of his recovery on the contrary, all the world bath great abundant mercies, and are not punifhed according to the firft Law, and thereforehave fentîble forgivenefs of fin and all have an inward teftimony or conviétion, that they are obliged to gratitude for there mercies, and alfo to the ufe of certain means (as Repentance, Prayer, &c.) in order to their farther pardon and falvation. Andall this fully demonftrateth that God hath fo far promulgated theold Editionof the Covenant of Grace, as to make it notorious that theworld is not under the meer Law of Innocency. And to believe in a Merciful pardoningGod, ( as hewas Exod.34. proclaimed to AJes , is becomeeven the Law of lapfed Nature. 2. And as I laid, the laft Edition of the Covenant is commanded by Chrift in his Minifters commiffion to be proclaimed to all the world : Yea Magiftrates, parents, neighbours, all men, in their feveral capacities are bound CO promote it. 3. And the world bath aétually.heard fo much of theGofpel, as that Paul in his dayes faid, That their found went into all the Earth and their words to the endof theworld, Roth. to., 18. when it had gonebut a little wayin comparifon of what it bath fince done. Thus far we are agreed of thePromulgation. III. The third fort of Grace is the Internal operation of the Spirit of God uponmens hearts g And here it is that the heart of 'all our difference feemeth to lie. SECT:,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=