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

Having said thus much for the opening of my opinion, and the avoiding of Confusion, I return to Mr. Blake's words. And 1. where he saith, The major is not sealed; for the Sacraments seal not to the truth of any general propositions, but they seal with application to particular persons: I Reply, They seal no doubt with respect to particular persons; but that they may not seal both the general Promise and the singular as comprised in it, to that particular person, I hear not yet proved, viz. q. d. Having promised Christ and Life to every one that will Accept him, lest thou shouldst stagger at this my Promise, I own it by this seal. 2. Where he saith, It seals that which supplies the place of the minor; viz. I give thee Christ: I Reply, 1. Its true; because this is no addition to the general Grant, but part ⟨p. 122⟩of its proper sense: For he that saith, I give it to all Believers, saith in sense, I give it to thee if thou be a Believer. Otherwise God sealeth not to what he promiseth not: and were not the singular Enunciation comprehended in the sense of the Universal, you could never prove that the singular is sealed. 2. But what is the meaning of your Minor, which you say is sealed? Is it an Absolute and simple Proposition or Enunciation, as you express it? Or is it a Conditional one? Do you mean, I will give thee Christ on Condition that thou Accept him as offered: or, I will give him Absolutely: And by giving, do you mean proper effectual giving which conveys Right? or only an offer which conveys not Right till it be Accepted on the terms on which its offered? If you mean by gift, a mere offer, then it may be sealed Absolutely; for God doth Absolutely offer, where he doth but Conditionally Give. He doth not say, I will offer you Christ, on condition you will take him; for he offereth him whether men Accept him or not. If you mean a full gift, and mean the Enunciation to be Absolute, then that man shall certainly have Christ and Life, whether he accept him or not; or at lest, accepting is no Condition. And then all that God so sealeth to, shall be saved. Nor will it help you to say, that he seals this Absolute Promise but Conditionally: for however, rhe man must needs be saved by such a Gift or Promise it self, though it were never sealed at all. If you mean (as I suppose you do) I give thee Christ to be thine, on condition that thou Accept him as offered; then 1.

Having said thus much for the opening of my opinion, and the avoiding of Confusion, I return to Mr. Blakes words. And 1. where he saith, The maior is not sealed; for the Sacraments seal not to the truth of any general propositions, but they seal with application to particular persons: I Reply, They seal no doubt with respect to particular persons; but that they may not seal both the general Promise and the singular as comprized in it, to that particular person, I hear not yet proved, viz. q. d. Having promised Christ and Life to every one that will Accept him, lest thou shouldst stagger at this my Promise, I own it by this seal. 2. Where he saith, It seals that which supplies the place of the minor; viz. I give thee Christ: I Reply, 1. Its true; because this is no addition to the general Grant, but part