A26892:6374
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.
14. Though an Infant cannot be either disposed to a holy life, or fit for Glory immediately, without an inward Holiness of his own, yet by what is said it seemeth plain, that merely on the account of the Condition performed by the Parent, and of his Union Relatively with Christ thereupon, and his title to Gods promise on these Grounds, he may be said to be in a state of salvation; that is, to have the pardon of his Original sin, deliverance from hell (in right,) adoption, and a right to the needful operations of the Holy Ghost, as given to him in Christ, who is the first receiver of the spirit.
14. Though an Infant cannot be either disposed to a holy life, or fit for Glory immediately, without an inward Holiness of his own, yet by what is said it seemeth plain, that meerly on the account of the Condition performed by the Parent, and of his Union Relatively with Christ thereupon, and his title to Gods promise on these Grounds, he may be said to be in a state of salvation; that is, to have the pardon of his Original sin, deliverance from hell (in right,) adoption, and a right to the needful operations of the Holy Ghost, as given to him in Christ, who is the first receiver of the spirit.
15. But when and in what sort and degree Christ giveth the actual operations of the spirit to all Covenanted Infants, it is wonderful hard for us to know. But this much seemeth clear, 1. That Christ may when he please work on the soul of an Infant to change its disposition, before he come to the use of Reason. 2. That Christ and his spirit as in Covenant with Infants, are ready to give all necessary assistance to Infants for their inherent sanctification, in the use of those means, and on those1 further conditions, on which we must wait for it and expect it. For the Holy Ghost is not so engaged to us in our Covenant or Baptism, as to be obliged presently to give us all the grace that we want; But only to give it us on certain further conditions, and in the use of certain means. But because this leadeth me up to another question, I will suspend the rest of the answer to this, till that be handled. Only I must answer this objection.