A26892:6338
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
But the difficulties in this case are so great, as driveth away most who do not equally perceive the greater inconveniences which we must choose, if this opinion be forsaken: that is, that all Infants must be taken to be out of the Covenant of God, and to have no promise of salvation. Whereas surely the Law of Grace as well as the Covenant of Works included all the seed in their capacity.
But the difficulties in this case are so great, as driveth away most who do not equally perceive the greater inconveniencies which we must choose, if this opinion be forsaken: that is, that all Infants must be taken to be out of the Covenant of God, and to have no promise of salvation. Whereas surely the Law of Grace as well as the Covenant of Works included all the seed in their capacity.
1. To the first of these Questions, I answer, 1. As all true believers, so all their Infants do receive initially by the promise, and by way of obsignation and Sacramental Investiture in Baptism, a Jus Relationis, a right of peculiar Relation to all the three persons in the blessed Trinity: As to God, as1 their reconciled Adopting Father, and to Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and actual Head and Justifier, so also to the Holy Ghost as their Regenerator and Sanctifier. This Right and Relation2 adhereth to them, and is given them in order to future actual operation and communion. As a Marriage Covenant giveth the Relation and Right to one another, in order to the subsequent Communion 3and duties of a married life: And as he that sweareth allegiance to a King, or is listed into an Army, or is entered into a School, receiveth the Right and Relation, and is so correlated, as obligeth to the mutual subsequent Offices of each, and giveth right to many particular benefits. By this Right and Relation, God is his own God and Father; Christ is his own Head and Saviour; and the Holy Spirit is his own Sanctifier, without asserting what operations are already wrought on his soul, but only to what future ends and uses these Relations are. Now as these Rights and Relations are given immediately, so those Benefits which are Relative, and the Infant immediately capable of them, are presently given by way of communion: He hath presently the pardon of Original sin, by virtue of the Sacrifice, Merit and Intercession of Christ. He hath a state of Adoption, and Right to Divine Protection, Provision and Church-communion according to his natural Capacity, and Right to everlasting life.