Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…

but only the condition of the continuance of our Justification, it being certainly begun, and we put into a state of favour and acceptance, merely on our first consent or covenanting, that is, believing or receiving Christ.

but onely the condition of the continuance of our Justification, it being certainly begun, and we put into a state of favor and acceptance, meerly on our first consent or covenanting, that is, believing or receiving Christ.

That all this is no strange thing, (that our own Covenant Act should be also the Primary condition of Gods Covenant) may appear by your forementioned similitudes, and all other cases, wherein such Relations are contracted. If a King will offer his Son in marriage to a condemned woman and a beggar, on condition that she will but have him, that is consent, and so covenant and marry him: here her covenanting, consenting or marrying him, is the performance of the condition on her part, for obtaining her first Right in him and his: but for the continuance of that Right, is further requisite, Primarily the continuance of that consent; secondarily the addition of subjection and marriage-faithfulness. Yet though consent begun, and consent continued, be both called consent, and are the same thing, it is only the beginning that is called marriage: so is it only begun faith, which is our marriage with Christ, and constitutes us Regenerate, or converted. And therefore you do not well to talk of Regeneration being the keeping of our Covenant. If by Regeneration you mean not Gods Act, but our repenting and believing, then it is our keeping Gods Covenant, by performing the condition, i. e. Our obeying him in entering his Covenant; but it is not the keeping of our own Covenant: for our making or entering Covenant, is our principal condition, on performance whereof we are justified; yet in so doing, we promise to continue that consent or faith: and so the continuance is our Covenant-keeping.