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

Sometime more largely, as containing also the Precepts that Christ hath given the Church since his coming, that were not before given: Principally that of Believing Jesus to be the Christ, and also those of Ministry, Ordinances, Church-Assemblies, &c. together with the Doctrines or Articles of Faith which he since revealed. 3. Sometime it is more largely taken for that whole System of Doctrines, Histories and Laws (Precepts, Promises, and Threats) which directly concern the Recovery of fallen mankind. 4. Sometime for as much of these as was delivered before Christs coming, in Promises, Prophesies and Types, &c. 5. Sometime for as much of these as yet remains in force, whether delivered to the Church before the Incarnation or since, (for many Covenants or Evangelical Promises and Precepts, are ceased now that were in force before: as that Christ should be born, and they should accept his birth, &c.) This last sense, containeth the Doctrine of Redemption by Christ, and the History of his birth, life and Death and Resurrection (as Narrations of the occasion, end and matter are usual appurtenances of a Law) as also the Precepts of Repenting and Believing; Loving God for our Redemption, and Christ as Redeemer; Loving men as Redeemed ones, and as Members of Christ; Ministry, Sacraments, Church-assemblies, proper to the Gospel, with the means to be used for getting, keeping or improving this Grace as such; the command of Hope, or looking for Christs second coming, &c. and of sincere obedience. I conceive the first (as containing the sum of all) and specially this last (as containing the whole System of the Doctrine and Laws of our Redemption and Restoration) are the fittest senses for us ordinarily to use the word Covenant of Grace in (vide Grotii dissertationem de nomine [Greek or Hebrew] ante Annotat. in Novum Testam.) Now if the question be whether in any of these senses the New Covenant doth command perfect obedience; I answer, All the doubt is of the 3 latter: But I rather think negatively, that in none of these Acceptions can the New Covenant be said to require perfect obedience. 6. But then some take the New Law or Covenant for the whole Law that now stands unrepealed, and obligeth the Subjects of the Mediator, supposing the Moral Law to be now the Law or Covenant of Grace, i. e. the matter of it, as it was formerly the ⟨p. 146⟩matter of the Law of Works:

Sometime more largely, as containing also the Precepts that Christ hath given the Church since his coming, that were not before given: Principally that of Believing Jesus to be the Christ, and also those of Ministery, Ordinances, Church-Assemblies, &c. together with the Doctrines or Articles of Faith which he since revealed. 3. Sometime it is more largely taken for that whole Systeme of Doctrines, Histories and Laws (Precepts, Promises, and Threats) which directly concern the Recovery of faln mankinde. 4. Sometime for as much of these as was delivered before Christs coming, in Promises, Prophesies and Types, &c. 5. Sometime for as much of these as yet remains in force, whether delivered to the Church before the Incarnation or since, (for many Covenants or Evangelical Promises and Precepts, are ceased now that were in force before: as that Christ should be born, and they should accept his birth, &c.) This last sense, containeth the Doctrine of Redemption by Christ, and the History of his birth, life and Death and Resurrection (as Narrations of the occasion, end and matter are usual appurtenances of a Law) as also the Precepts of Repenting and Believing; Loving God for our Redemption, and Christ as Redeemer; Loving men as Redeemed ones, and as Members of Christ; Ministry, Sacraments, Church-assemblies, proper to the Gospel, with the means to be used for getting, keeping or improving this Grace as such; the command of Hope, or looking for Christs second coming, &c. and of sincere obedience. I conceive the first (as containing the summe of all) and specially this last (as containing the whole Systeme of the Doctrine and Laws of our Redemption and Restauration) are the fittest senses for us ordinarily to use the word Covenant of Grace in (vide Grotii dissertationem de nomine ante Annotat. in Novum Testam.) Now if the question be whether in any of these senses the New Covenant doth command perfect obedience; I answer, All the doubt is of the 3 latter: But I rather think negatively, that in none of these Acceptions can the New Covenant be said to require perfect obedience. 6. But then some take the New Law or Covenant for the whole Law that now stands unrepealed, and obligeth the Subjects of the Mediator, supposing the Moral Law to be now the Law or Covenant of Grace, i. e. the matter of it, as it was formerly the