Baxter - BT785 B39 1657

Spiritual Peace and Comfort. 47 and blafphemous conceits ( but none of this I fup- pole is your cafe.) If then the reafon why you fay, you cannot be- lieve, be from any thing that is really in Chrift (and not upon miRake,) then it mull be either from fome diflike of his faving work, by which he would par- donyou, andfave you from damnation ( but that is impaíiible , for you cannot be willing to be damned or unpardoned, till you lofeyour Reafon : ) Or elfe it is from a diflike of his work of fancification, by which he would cleanfe your heart and life, by fav- ing you from your finfull nature and actions ; fome grudgings againl Chrifls holy and undefiled Laws and ways will be in the belt , while there is that fleíh in them which luf}eth againR theSpirit, fo that they cannot do the things they would : But if truly you have fuch a diflike of a finlefs condition,through the love of any finor creature, that you cannotbe willing to have Chrift to cure you andcleanfe you, from that fin, andmakeyou holy ; I fay, if this be true, in a prevailing degree, fo that if Chrift and Ho- linefs wereoffered you, you wouldnot Accept them, then it is certain you havenot true faith. And in this cafe it is eafiy to difcern, that your firs work lieth not ingetting Comfort or eafe toyour troubled mind, but in getting better conceits of Chrift and a holy Rate and life , that fo you may be willingof Chrift, as Chrifl is of you, and fo become a truebe- liever. And here I would not leave you at that lofs as fomedo, as if there were nothing for you to do for thegetting offaith : for certainly God bath pre- fcribedyou Means for that end. Faith coneth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God preached , Rom.

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