Baxter - BX1763 B28

(8) were to dye, without writtenRecords, the memory of Mankind would not faithfully retain, and deliver to Po- terity, fuch copious matter as the Integrals and ufeful Accidentals of Religion, and therefore caufed them to write it and leaveit to Pofferity. So that our Chriitian Religion is contained and deliver- ed to us in three Formulas or Prefcripts : The frr/l con- taineth the whole Etrence ofChrif'ianity, and is the.Sacra- mpntal Covenant, in which we are believingly given up toGod the Father, Son, andHoly Ghofl, andGod to us, in. the Relation ofa God and Father, a Saviour and a Sanlifier. This is done initially, ad e¡fe, in ßaptifm, and after ad robur in the Lords supper. This is delivered to us by Tradition Naturally Infallible, de fac7o: For all chrijlians, o/s fuch, have received and entred this sacra- mental Covenant; and full Hiftory aflurethus, that the very fameForm of it is come down in all the Churches to this day. The fecond Formula, is the Expofition of the three Ar- ticles of this Sacramental Covenant, in the Creed, Lords Prayer, and Decalooue ; which hath been delivered by memory alto, and kept unchanged (fave the forefaid additions of fome explicatory words in the Creed,) to all the,Churches to this day. The thirdForm, is all the holy Canonical Scriptures, (the Old Teftament being as preparatory to the New,) which contain all the Efentials, Integrals, and needful .Acci- dentals. Our Religion then is all fromChrifi and his Spirit, in infpired men, commiffioned to deliver it, and is well called as you do, the dlpollolical Chriflianity: We own no other. It is all brought down to us by Tradition from theApoftles. The Ef fentials in the Covenant, and the explicatory

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