Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

The Baptismal-Covenant, is a Law as imposed, and as imposing the Covenant-Duties, and as determining the conditions of Life and Death, according to which men must live and shall be judged: yea it is the most famous Law, which Conscience hath to do with; Though it be a Covenant as consented to, in the contract. That Sinners have terms of Life and Death, and offered Remedies against all their Guilt and greatest ⟨p. 43⟩Punishments, and Means prescribed, and Duties commanded in order to their recovery, when the Law of Innocency condemneth them; especially the obeying of the Ministry, and Word, and Holy Spirit of Christ, prescribing them his way of cure as their Physician, all this is a Law of Grace; even the Law of Liberty, and the Law of the Spirit of Life, which freeth us from the Law of Sin and Death. Christ's Law consisteth of two parts: (as is said) 1. The Law of Nature (called by many moral) as commanding the love of God and its attendant Duties, not now to an innocent man, but to a condemned-recovering Sinner, as the health to which his Physician doth restore him. 2. And the remedying Law which is more proper to the Redeemer called the Law of Faith; which appointeth us the terms and means of our recovery: which is, 1. Supernatural as to the Revelation of the matter and reasons of it, and the foundation of all in Christ's Work of Redemption and his Legislation: 2. But as to the obligation or efficiency of mans duty, it is both natural and supernatural at once: that is, when it is presupposed that Christ hath done, suffered and offered to our acceptance, all that is so asserted of him in the Gospel; 1. Nature obligeth us to believe it (upon evidence of credibility) and to accept it, and thankfully improve it: 2. Christ as the Fathers Administrator, and our King, hath positively commanded us the same.

The Baptismal-Covenant, is a Law as imposed, and as imposing the Covenant-Duties, and as determining the conditions of Life and Death, according to which men must live and shall be judged: yea it is the most famous Law, which Conscience hath to do with; Though it be a Covenant as consented to, in the contract. That Sinners have terms of Life and Death, and offered Remedies against all their Guilt and greatest ⟨p. 43⟩Punishments, and Means prescribed, and Duties commanded in order to their recovery, when the Law of Innocency condemneth them; especially the obeying of the Ministry, and Word, and Holy Spirit of Christ, prescribing them his way of cure as their Physician, all this is a Law of Grace; even the Law of Liberty, and the Law of the Spirit of Life, which freeth us from the Law of Sin and Death. Christ's Law consisteth of two parts: (as is said) 1. The Law of Nature (called by many moral) as commanding the love of God and its attendent Duties, not now to an innocent man, but to a condemned-recovering Sinner, as the health to which his Physician doth restore him. 2. And the remedying Law which is more proper to the Redeemer called the Law of Faith; which appointeth us the terms and means of our recovery: which is, 1. Supernatural as to the Revelation of the matter and reasons of it, and the foundation of all in Christ's Work of Redemption and his Legislation: 2. But as to the obligation or efficiency of mans duty, it is both natural and supernatural at once: that is, when it is presupposed that Christ hath done, suffered and offered to our acceptance, all that is so asserted of him in the Gospel; 1. Nature obligeth us to believe it (upon evidence of credibility) and to accept it, and thankfully improve it: 2. Christ as the Fathers Administrator, and our King, hath positively commanded us the same.