Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

§ 51. I knew how ticklish a Business the Enumeration of Fundamentals was, and of what very ill Consequence it would be if it were ill done; and how unsatisfactorily that Question [What are your Fundamentals?] is usually answered to the Papists. My own Judgment was this, that we must distinguish between the Sense (or matter) and the Words; and that it's only the Sense that is primarily and properly ⟨p. 198⟩our Fundamentals: and the Words no further than as they are needful to express that Sense to others, or represent it to our own Conception: that the Word [Fundamentals] being Metaphorical and Ambiguous, the Word [Essentials] is much fitter; it being nothing but what is Essential, or Constitutive of true Religion, which is understood by us usually when we speak of Fundamentals: that quoad rem there is no more Essential or Fundamental in Religion, but what is contained in our Baptismal Covenant, [I believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and give up my self in Covenant to him, renouncing the Flesh, the World and the Devil.] He that doth this truly shall be saved; or else sincere Covenanting could not entitle us to the Blessings of the Covenant: And therefore it is that the Ancient Church held that all that are Baptized duly are in a Justified State of Life; because all that sincerely give up themselves in Covenant to God, as our God and Father, our Redeemer and Saviour, our Sanctifier and Comforter, have right to the Blessings of the Covenant. And quoad verba, I suppose that no particular Words in the World are Essentials of our Religion: Otherwise no Man could be saved without the Language which those Words belong to: He that understandeth not Credo in Deum, may be saved if he believe in God: Also I suppose that no particular Formula of Words in any or all Languages is Essential to our Religion: for he that expresseth his Faith in another form of words, of the same importance, professeth a Saving Faith. And as to the Use of a Form of Words to express our Belief of the Essential, it is various, and therefore the Form accordingly is variable. If it be to teach another what is the Essence of Religion, a dull hearer must have many Words, when a quick intelligent Person by few Words can understand the same thing.

§ 51. I knew how ticklish a Business the Enumeration of Fundamentals was, and of what very ill Consequence it would be if it were ill done; and how unsatisfactorily that Question [What are your Fundamentals?] is usually answered to the Papists. My own Judgment was this, that we must distinguish between the Sense (or matter) and the Words; and that it's only the Sense that is primarily and properly