A26892:6380
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.
4. And then the inherent pravity was the effect of that Act of their Ancestors, which is forgiven them. And this pravity or inherent Original sin may two ways be said to be mortified radically or Virtually or inceptively before any inherent change in them, 1. In that it is mortified in their Parents from whom they derived it, who have the power of choosing for them, and 2. In that they are by Covenant engrafted into Christ, and so related to the cause of their future sanctification; yea, 3. In that also they are by Covenant and their Parents promise, engaged to use those means which1 Christ hath appointed for sanctification.
4. And then the inherent pravity was the effect of that Act of their Ancestors, which is forgiven them. And this pravity or inherent Original sin may two wayes be said to be mortified radically or Virtually or inceptively before any inherent change in them, 1. In that it is mortified in their Parents from whom they derived it, who have the power of choosing for them, and 2. In that they are by Covenant engraffed into Christ, and so related to the cause of their future sanctification; yea, 3. In that also they are by Covenant and their Parents promise, engaged to use those means which1 Christ hath appointed for sanctification.
- 1[Gods being a God to any individual person doth require and presuppose that they do for the present, supposing them capable, or for the future as soon as capable, take God in Christ as their God.] Ibid. p. 61.[Gods being a God to any individual person doth r•quire and presuppose that they do for the present, supposing them capable, or for the future as soon as capable, take God in Christ as their God.] Ibid. p. 61.
5. And it must be remembered that as this is but an inceptive preparatory change, so the very pardon of the Inherent vitiosity is not perfect (as I have elsewhere largely proved) (however some Papists and Protestants deny it). While sin remaineth sin, and corruption is still indwelling, besides all the unremoved penalties of it, the very being of it, proveth it to be so far unpardoned, in that it is not yet abolished, and the continuance of it being not its smallest punishment, as permitted, and the spirit not given so far as to cure it. Imperfect pardon may consist with a present right both to further sanctification by the Spirit, and so to Heaven.