Baxter - BV649 B3 1670

me11101111m, whoare Pro feljers. 25. got more of thefe guifts, than better Chrìflians; ihall be extolled and admired , when many a humble upright foul, that wanteth fuckutterance, Call be faid to be noprofefor, and fo to be unwor-; thyof the Communion of Saints. Miftake me not : I know that though pro= feffion may be without fincerity, yet fincerity can not be without force profeffion, when there is op- portunity to make it : And I know that Grace is a vital principle, and like fire which will work arid Peek a vent if you would reftrain it : And that Gifts ofutterance are great mercies of God for the EdificationoftheChurch. Bat here lyeth your unhappy errour in this cafe. i. You take the commonprofefionof Cbri#ianity to be no profef Jión at all, becaufe there is wanting a profeflion of greater x.ea1 andforwardnefs. When as the common fort ofpeople in this Land, do profefs to nand to their baptifmal Covenant, in which they own the effential parts ofGodlinefs and Chriflianity, and all that is of abfolute neceffity to Salvation. He that truly uinderflandetb the baptifmal Covenant, and Confenteth toit, doth perform all which is neceffary to a {tare of grace : if he profefs this, he profeketh, both true faith and repentance, and fanaification and mortification, and all that is ne- .ceffary to make a man a Chriftian. How then can you fay that thefe are no Profeffors ? I tell you (except a few Apof}ates) the common fort of people in this Land areProfeffors of true faith andgodlinefs i Whether they are tree Profeffors without diffembling is another quef{ion a but they Ore profeforr of the traath. f

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