Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Jinnoti#jons on Chap. to. Alto the Matter, think thus much following may fatisfiethe lober. Î. We inuft firft knóéd what Lawof GodCuch Men are under, and thenhow far it juftifieth them. It h certain, that the World (onceguilty of fin and death) is not under the Lawof Innocency, which maketh Innocency theonly Condition of Life (now it is loft toall.) And it is certain, that they are neitherLawlefs, or íhut up asDevils in defpair ; but that they haveDutiesand means of Repentance, Recovery, Mercy, and Salvation impofed on them, which they are bound to ufe for there ends in hopes and they have much forfeitedMercy given to them all, which proveth that God ufeth them not according to the Law ofInnocency. And it is certain, that God made to all Mankind in fallen -.edam and Noah, a Law of Mercy and Grace ; and that when he proclaimed bis Name to Mofes, Exad. 34. The Lord Gracious and merciful, forgiving, &c. it was his Nature, andhis way of Governing of Mankind, which he proclaimed. And fo that all theWorld is undera Law which offerethPardon and Life onother terms than finleCs Innocency. 2. It is certain, that the fuperadded Covenant of Peculiarity to theyews, or the Preaching of the Gofpel ofChrift Incarnate to part of the World only, revealed not any of the merciful Law. or Terms before given to all the World: Chrift added more Mercy, but took away none; much lefs fo much from molt ofthe World : He came not to condemn the World, but to rave. 3. It is certain, that all Men !hall be judged according to the Law that they were under, and obliged by, and no other. 4. It's certain, that the Apoftles themfelves, though in a Rate of Grace, believednot till Chrift was rifen, that he muff die a Sacrifice for fin, rife from the dead, afcend and intercede in Hea- ven, fend down the eminent gift of the Holy Ghoft, call the Gentiles, gather a Catholick Church, ere. Therefore it was not all our Articles ofFaith that were necefFary before Chrift's coming ; but the belief of fo much as was then revealed. But, a. What others do, that hear not of Chrift, in fa&, who repenteth, believeth, and is Caved, God is only fie to judge; it belongeth not to us. But we may fay that the cafe ofMelchizedec(. yob and his Friends, and many others, prove, that Grace and Salvation were not confined to the yews. And that Abraham thought that even Sodom had fifty Righteous Perlons, when it was worfe than other places of theWorld. And he that will well read Pfal. L9. Prov. t..Afis1{. and 17. Rom. a. and a. may yet receive fuller facisfa&ion from God. II: About Minifers Million, verfe 15. It'sdoubted whether we may hear any, till we know that God fent them : And it is the device of the Roman C'ergy, to puzzle the Ignorant, by obje&ing apainff the Million and Ordination ofProteftant Minigers, to drawMen frqm hearing them as Mi. rafters of Chrift, claiming to themfelves the Peculiarity of Divine Coma-anion and Authority, as the only Church'that have uninterrupted Succeflion of Canonical Ordination. But as the Ínterru tion oftheirs is eafily proved, fo it's molt certain, that God hash not made it anantecedent neceflá. ry thing to the beliefofhis Gofpel, for all Men andWomen to be fify fo well acquainted withHi- Rory, as to know what continuance or interruption there hach been in all Countries of Canonical Ordination. In Short, r. A Lay-man is to be heard that brings the Gofpel. 2. He that wanteth Come Cir- cumftances ofOrder, neccifary ordinarily to the right ordering of the Church, may yet have all that is effential to the Miniftry. 3. He that bath juft abilities, and mutual confent of him and a Chriftian Flock that need him, bathall that is effentially neceflary. 4. He that isordained by Concordant Senior Paftors of that Church, bath all that is neceflary effentially to Ordination S. He that feemeth to have fuch Qualifications or Ordination, but bath nor, but is in poffeffion upon deceivingprobability, is a Paftor to that Church, fo farthat his Miniftrations fhail be valid to the People, though not to juftifie himflffrom the guilt ofprofane ufitrpation. 6. ThePeople that love their Souls, muff be more careful what Do&rine a Minifter-preacheth, than what Ordination he bath. 7. In divers cafes theMagiftrates Authority may ferve without Ordination, and in force the Peo- ples choice alone, though, where it may lawfully be had, jug and regular Ordination Mould not be negle&ed, feeing none may be himfelf the PoleJudgeofhis owncall and fimefs. CHAP. XI. 1.1 Say then bath God caft away his 1 people ? God .forbid : For I al- fo am an Ifraelite,- of the feed of A- braham, of the tribe of Benjamin, 1: But what? do I by all this conclude, that God bath broken his Covenant with ,Abraham, and utterlycaft off the People of Ifrael ? Not at all. For I, and all believing yews, are the Seed of..lbraíam, not caft off. 2, God

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