Baxter - BT763 B397 1658

(143'). ing of him after the manner of men, as we enufl do it is be- caufe is fitter then any other race for tihis Honorand Office, as being both a high honouringof God, by believing him(thats as for Afiér.t)and-in ics own Esfential nature,a hearty thankfull ?, cceptance of his Son, both to be our Lord ( which is both for the Honor of God and our own good) and_ our Savi- our todeliver and glorifie LIs : and fo is the molt rational way that man can imagine tomake us par akers of the procured hap- pinefs, without either our own danger ( if a heavier condition had been laid upon us ) or the difhorour of the Mediator ei- ther by diminifhing the eftimationof the favour (' we had done any more to the procurin it our felves ) or by cori- tempt of the Gift , ( if we had not been required and conditioned with fo much as thankfully and lovingly to accept it. ) And then if the Qeftion be, why Godbath affigned fin. cere Obedience and Perfeverance therein to that place offecon-. dary Cosidit:orality for the continuance and confummation of it flification, and for the attainingof falvation ? I arfw,ver, Not becaufe they have any fuckReceptive nature as faith,but becaufe Faith,being anAcceptanceef Chrifi as Lord alfo,and delivering and refignirlg up the foul to himaccordingly in Covenant, this Duty is therefore neceffarily implyed, as the thing promifed by us in that Covenant and fo in fome fence greater then the co- venanting it felf, or theend of it and Chrift never intended to turn than out of his fervice, and difcharge him from Obe- dience; but to lay onhim an eafier and lighter yoak and burden, to learnofhirim,&c.and therefore well may he make this thecon- ditionof their findingEafe and Reft to their fouls, Mgt. 11.28, 29. For,for this end he dyed, that he might be Lord, Rom. 14..9. And therefore whenwe are freely pardoned,&bought from hell, it is equal that Chrift fhould ruleus, who bought us,and that his Covenant hang till the continuance ofour Legal title to pardon juftificatïon, and glory, and fo the full poffeffion of them upon this perfeverarice in fincere loving grateful fubjection to him that bought us,and byhim to the pather.And thus Sir, I. have digreffed and ufed many words on this, (which to you I thinkneedlefs) not only becaufe I perceive that you acknow- ledge the conditionality of obedience in fome fenfe, but tell me Iii 2 not

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