Mr. Richard Baxter·r Funeral ~ermon. This Trial will be mort clear and convincing, by reprefenting-from Scripture the infcparable Properties and Charotl:ers of the Children of God, that diftinguifi1 them from all that arc in the State of unrenowed Nature. The Apofile tells finccrc Ch riftians, The Spirit ii felf wilm:JJes wi1h our Spirits, that we di'C the Childrm of God . Here is a Confent and Agreement of th<ife Witnelfes, in whom are all that is reqnifite to give value to their Tefiimony. For the Spirit of God, fuch is his unerring Knowledge, whofearches the deep thi11gs of God, and fuch IS the abfolute Sanl,l:tty of hisNawre, that he can neither deceive nor be deceived, fo that his Teftimony is infinitely fore, and ohnore worth than the concurrent Tef\imony of Heaven and Earth,' of Angels and Men. The other Witnefs is the .renewed Confcience, that is acquainted with the Aims and Affetl:ions of the Heart, as the Apof\le faith, Who k>tows the tbi11gs of a·Mo11, fwe the Spirit of,> N£.11 ? This Faculty refl ell:s upon our ~t~~t:l -~~~~:.:1eJ;::~c~~~-~~fco~~~;~,~ . !~ :'~!s:;a~~~ya1~5o~;;r~·~1~I~~~~1~~~~~5)~n~~ rJohn ;. 101vards God. from the confent and agreement of thefe Witnelfes, there is a blelfcd Alfnrance of our Evangelical Sonfi1ip, that overcomes.all our Fears. Now this T elfimony is rational and argumentative, from the difcovery of thofe Graces that confiitn te a rPerfon the Child of God. I will make the Inquiry concerning the Grace of Faith and of Love, which are the vital Bands of our Union with Chrifl, the princi!(.l/)"~~;~fJ~:~~a~~iV1i~F,· 1fi~~pr~f~dtll~,:§:i~~~~: b~ sr~~:t~!~;·of Chril7; this John •· "· an[\irers to God's offer of him to our acceptance in the Gofpel. It receives him entirely ~ in his ·Perfon and Natures, as the incarnate Son of God: and in his Office, as a Rrince and Sav iour, to J?. i'!'e Repentauce twd &mijjjou of Si11s. This rece iving Aa 11 Chrift,implies an All: of the Bnderftanding and the Will; the Underfland ing alfents ' ,. ' to the Truth of the Divine B.evelation, that Chrif\ crucified is an al!-[uflicient Saviour ; and the Will clofes with the Terms of it, That he will fove to t he ttll enHoft all that obey him: From hence it follows, that reliance upon him, and a fincerc refoJurion to obey him, . are necefbrily included in faving Faith. This Scri pture-Account dif\ingui!hes between that fubf\ antial Faith that is proper to the Elell: Children of ~r~~~i~~dorp~~~fe0n~e~~~~~ ~~~~~1rc ~sn:e~~~dr~fi-;n~1~!i~~~u!5 ~~~;~;~n~, ~~e~·~dC~~~!s and Counterfeit of faith. A fincere Believer as ferventl y defi res to be faved from the Dominion and Pollution of his Sins, as from the Gu ilt and deadly Malignity: a carnal Man defires an lnteref\ in Cluif\ as a Saviour; that he may fe<me ly enjoy his loufts. 'fhe crafty and curfed Serpent deceives Men to their ruine, by citing Scri pture and mifapplying it. The Promife is fure, Whoever believes, .fbo/1 hefaved; and h~ eafily perfwades them they are Believers. 'T.is f\range to af\onifi1mcnt, that Men who l1ave Reafon and Under~anding, fi10ul<_l prefum~ in a high d~gree of the prefent favour of God, and thell' future Happ1nefs? as tf they w_ere lu~ dea r Children, when tbeu Enmity agamf\ Jus holy Name and WilliS evtdent m theu All:ions. We can never have too firm a dependance on God's Promife, wl1en we are quali- , ficd for that Dependance. Come ?ut from fl1N~11g them, and be ye feparate, fo.ith the 1 Cor. 6 .17 , 18 . L ord ~ and to11ch not the 1mcl ean thmg , and I wzll receiv e y~u, a11d will be a Father to yo11, faith the Lord Almighty. Faith that purifies the Heart and ConverG1tion, invef\ s us with this blefled Privil ege, and all the faving Mercies annex'd to it. · ( 2. ). From the fpiritual Rela~ion between God and Believers, there naturall y and necelfanly refults a fince re, dutiful, ch!ld-hke Love to Inm, correfpondent to his beneficent and fatherly Love to them : This God indifpenfably requires, and fpecially delight~ in; Th~u ~oveflTr!tth in the imvard Parts. Filial Obedience is infcpa- PfJI. ,.,, b!e from filial Love m ItS Reality : For thi< i< the Love of God, thot we keep hi< Com- •Job. ,. l· mandme11ts. Our Saviour difl:inguifl1cSbetween fincere Lovers of him, and preten- <l cd, .that they who love him, keep his Commandments; but they who love him not , keep Joh.t o+ . 21,;"! , 110t bu Comv~tmdmntl.r. The Obedience that fprings from Love to God is uniform. refpell:s all his Commands :_ for the two filial Affetl:ions, _an ardent DeGre to pl eafe God in all things, and an mgenu~ms Fear of d1fpleafing IHm m any tlung, are mfeparably joined with our Love to hun. The Obedience that proceeds from Love, is free and vol nntary, fro m Incl ination as well os D uty. How paflion ately does the holy Pfalmift expref> his Affell:ioa, •0 hurr: I love t hy Larv! In the Covenant of Grace, Cod premifcs to P.Jritc hi.r Law itz t!u Hc<~rls of hi.~ [f,i/drw: not only in theirMinds and Memories, but to endea.t: it to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=