A26892:6392
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.
7. It is certain that the Church ever required Parents; not only to enter their Children into the Covenant, and so to leave them, but to do their after duty for their good, and to pray for them, and educate them according to their Covenant.
8. It is plain that if there were none to promise so to educate them, the Church would not baptize them. And God himself who allowed the Israelites, and still alloweth us to bring our Children into his Covenant, doth it on this supposition, that we promise also to go on to do our duty for them, and that we actually do it.
9. All this set together maketh it plain, 1. That God never promiseth the adult in Baptism, though true believers, that, he will work in them all graces further by his sanctifying spirit, let them never so much neglect or resist him: or that he will absolutely see that they never shall resist him: nor that the spirit shall still help them, though they neglect all his means; or that he will keep them from neglecting the means (Election may secure this to the Elect as such; but the Baptismal Covenant as such, secureth it not to the baptized, nor to believers as such.) 2. And consequently that Infants are in Covenant with the Holy Ghost still conditionally as their Parents are: And that the meaning of it1 is, that the Holy Ghost as your sanctifier will afford you all necessary help, in the use of those means which he hath appointed you to receive his help in.
- 1The Holy Ghost is promised in Baptism to give the Child grace in his Parents and his own faithful use of the appointed means.