A26886:418
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother Mr. Thomas Blake / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now to the Texts: And its hard that you should allege Ezek. 33.31. for [ready Accepting the tender of the Gospel,] when the Text saith plainly, that their hearts went after their covetousness, and they hear the word and would not do it, though they took pleasure to hear the Prophet, as a minstrel to tickle their ears and not as a Minister to save them from sin: when as these in Acts 2. sold all and lived in Community with the Saints. Those Mat. 13.20, 21. received the external Message, and Christ himself ⟨p. 127⟩ore tenus, by verbal Acceptance, and Internally they would have had Christ ad hoc for their own ends, as a subject or servant to their worldly Interests; but they never received Christ as Christ, to save them from the world, and self, and sin; for these were still preferred before him; nor did they ever accept of God as their God, that is, their chief good and chief Lord. I am bold therefore (by your Patience) to say, that as to the Acceptance of Christ as Christ, or God as their God, or the Holy Ghost as their Sanctifier, they cannot be said to have done it, but equivocally: and no otherwise did they receive the tender of the Gospel. As for the Galatians, chap. 4.15. 1. All were not in Love with Paul on the same account: and all love to the Preacher signifieth not an Acceptance of the tender of the Gospel. 2. And you cannot prove but that these Galatians did it sincerely, and were sincere when this was spoken, for all their yielding so far to the temptation of false Teachers. (Of which I have spoken before.) Of Acts 10.47. hereafter.
Now to the Texts: And its hard that you should alledge Ezek. 33.31. for [ready Accepting the tender of the Gospel,] when the Text saith plainly, that their hearts went after their coveteousness, and they hear the word and would not do it, though they took pleasure to hear the Prophet, as a minstrel to tickle their ears and not as a Minister to save them from sin: when as these in