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,…

Ad XII. I. Whereas Paul opposeth the Law of works, and the Grace of Christ, he opposeth, or too far distinguisheth the Law of Christ and the Gra•e of Christ; Just as Sir H. V. in his Meditations. He taketh all spoken and written precepts or Laws, to be the Law, which is distinguished from Grace, which is mere Alteration of the soul. But this is confusion, and subverteth true Theology. For the Law is the instrument of signifying Gods mind, and the Spirit worketh with and by it on our minds: And both go together both before the fall and under Christ: And both are Grace now even as body and soul are one man: The Gospel is oft called Grace in the New Testament: It's true that a Law merely as a Law may be distinguished from the Spirits operations on the soul: And so Paul and Augustine oft show that the Jewish Law as a Law could not make men righteous without grace. And we deny not but the Law of Christ merely as a Law is insufficient without the Spirit• Grace. But to conclude hence that this is the difference between the Old covenant, and the New, and the Righteousness of each of them (of men under them), that one is obedience to a written Law▪ and the other is the effect of the Spirit, is not sound: For under each Covenant there was both Law and Spirit, though with difference. Adam had Grace as Jansenius confuseth: And the Fathers before the Flood had Law and Spirit. And the Godly •ews had Law and Spirit: And all Christians are subject to Christ their King, and obey his Laws, though by the Grace of his Spirit: And it is not two Righteousnesses that relate to Law and Spirit, but one as an effect of two concauses; The doctrine of faith and Law and promises of Crystal the Means which the Spirit useth in operating our Faith, Love and Obedience. ⟨p. 100⟩And it is not two Covenants that give these two: but as soul and body make one man, so the Word of Christ and his Spirit make up one total cause of our sanctification. The Spirit causeth us to believe that which the Word revealeth, and to love the good which it proposeth, and to obey the Precepts of the Word: Therefore the Gospel is Grace, and the Spirit is Grace, that is, a free gift of God to miserable sinners for their recovery, and inward holiness is the effect of both.

Ad XII. I. Whereas Paul opposeth the Law of works, and the Grace of Christ, he opposeth, or too far distinguisheth the Law of Christ and the Grae of Christ; Just as Sir H. V. in his Meditations. He taketh all spoken and written precepts or Laws, to be the Law, which is distinguished from Grace, which is meer Alteration of the soul. But this is confusion, and subverteth true Theologie. For the Law is the instrument of signifying Gods mind, and the Spirit worketh with and by it on our minds: And both go together both before the fall and under Christ: And both are Grace now even as body and soul are one man: The Gospel is oft called Grace in the New Testament: It's true that a Law meerly as a Law may be distinguished from the Spirits operations on the soul: And so Paul and Augustine oft shew that the Jewish Law as a Law could not make men righteous without grace. And we deny not but the Law of Christ meerly as a Law is insufficient without the Spirit Grace. But to conclude hence that this is the difference between the Old ovenant, and the New, and the Righteousness of each of them (of men under them), that one is obedience to a written Law and the other is the effect of the Spirit, is not sound: For under each Covenant there was both Law and Spirit, though with difference. Adam had Grace as Jansenius confusseth: And the Fathers before the Flood had Law and Spirit. And the Godly ews had Law and Spirit: And all Christians are subject to Christ their King, and obey his Laws, though by the Grace of his Spirit: And it is not two Righteousnesses that relate to Law and Spirit, but one as an effect of two concauses; The doctrine of faith and Law and promises of Christae the Means which the Spirit useth in operating our Faith, Love and Obedience.