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

1. A Praecepto, another collateral way of Revelation is commanded by God: Ergo there's another: 2. From certain History and Experience; which speak of the Performance of those Commands; and the Instances they give of both are these; 1. Ministers are commanded to preach the Gospel to all Nations before it was written, and a Promise annexed that Christ would be with them to the end of the World: In Obedience whereunto, not only the Apostles, but Multitudes more did so preach; which was by delivering the great Master-Verities which are now in the written Word: This Command is not reversed by the writing of the Word; And therefore is still a Duty, as to deliver the Gospel Doctrine in and by the Scripture, so collaterally to preach the Substance of that Doctrine as delivered from the Mouth of Christ and his Apostles. 2. Christ commanded before the Gospel was written to baptize Men into the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost for the Pardon of Sin, upon repenting and believing; and for the hope of everlasting Glory upon a holy Life. This was done accordingly both before and since the writing of the Gospel: And so the very Sum and Kernel of the Gospel, and indeed all the true Fundamentals and Essentials of the Christian Faith, have been most certainly and constantly delivered down by Baptism; as a collateral way distinct from the written Word; which is evident in the very Succession of Christians to this Day. 3. Another means hath been by Symbols, called Creeds and Catechising which was mostly by opening the Creeds: As Reverend Bishop Usher hath manifested that the Western Creed, now called the Apostles (wanting two or three Clauses that now are in it) was not only before the Nicene Creed; but of such farther Antiquity, that no beginning of it below the Apostles Days can be found: So it is past doubt that in other Words the Churches had still a Symbol or Sum of their Belief, which was the Test of the Orthodox, and that which the Catechumeni were to be instructed in. Origen, Tertullian, Irenaeus, to speak of none of these below them, do mention and recite them: The Doctrine of this Creed they affirm themselves to have received from the Apostles by verbal Tradition, as well as by Writing. This then hath been a collateral way of delivering down the saving Truths of the Gospel; though a far more imperfect way than by the Scriptures. 4.

1. A Praecepto, another collateral way of Revelation is commanded by God: Ergo there's another: 2. From certain History and Experience; which speak of the Performance of those Commands; and the Instances they give of both are these; 1. Ministers are commanded to preach the Gospel to all Nations before it was written, and a Promise annexed that Christ would be with them to the end of the World: In Obedience whereunto, not only the Apostles, but Multitudes more did so preach; which was by delivering the great Master-Verities which are now in the written Word: This Command is not reverst by the writing of the Word; And therefore is still a Duty, as to deliver the Gospel Doctrine in and by the Scripture, so collaterally to preach the Substance of that Doctrine as delivered from the Mouth of Christ and his Apostles. 2. Christ commanded before the Gospel was written to baptize Men into the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost for the Pardon of Sin, upon repenting and believing; and for the hope of everlasting Glory upon a holy Life. This was done accordingly both before and since the writing of the Gospel: And so the very Sum and Kernel of the Gospel, and indeed all the true Fundamentals and Essentials of the Christian Faith, have been most certainly and constantly delivered down by Baptism; as a collateral way distinct from the written Word; which is evident in the very Succession of Christians to this Day. 3. Another means hath been by Symbols, called Creeds and Catechising which was mostly by opening the Creeds: As Reverend Bishop Usher hath manifested that the Western Creed, now called the Apostles (wanting two or three Clauses that now are in it) was not only before the Nicene Creed; but of such farther Antiquity, that no beginning of it below the Apostles Days can be found: So it is past doubt that in other Words the Churches had still a Symbol or Sum of their Belief, which was the Test of the Orthodox, and that which the Catechumeni were to be instructed in. Origen, Tertullian, Irenaeus, to speak of none of these below them, do mention and recite them: The Doctrine of this Creed they affirm themselves to have received from the Apostles by verbal Tradition, as well as by Writing. This then hath been a collateral way of delivering down the saving Truths of the Gospel; though a far more imperfect way than by the Scriptures. 4.