Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

and (5 Àì oral Work!. diffances, and partiality, we had never read in Luther'sdays, that for this one point alone, we have caute enough of our alienation from the Romanßs. 245. They err on one extream, who fay, that all are commanded to believe that they are juftified 5 (or any as if it were Gods Word )e And they err on the other hand, who commanddoubting or commend it as if it were a duty or a benefit. And they fpeak the truth who fay, that our doubtingofour own Sincerityand Juftification if we are fincere, is a fin of Infirmity, and a Calamity, proceeding from weak- nefs ofFaith, Hope, Love and self - acquaintance, which we fhould ufe all poffible diligence to overcome. But they that are not fancere are bound to know it; And firft to feek and get fincerity, and then dif- cern it. 246. It isby the spirit that all Chriftians muff cometo their affurance : Butnot by theSpirit as fpeaking this in us as a word from God, [Than art jujtified or ffialt be Paved, or artfincere ]: But by the aforefaid Ans: The Spirit in us is firft Chrif#'r Agent, Advocate and Witnef, to allure us that he is the Saviour of the World : And next he is our Witnefr to affure us that we are Gods adopted Children 3 which hedoth by being in us Gods Mark, and the Pledge, Firfi- Fruits, and earneft of our heavenly Inheritance, by effectual habituating our Souls to the predominant love ofGod, and Holinefs and Heaven. Where-ever this Sanaiftcation is, there is the Evidence and Witnefs ofour Adoption. He that findeth by the Fruits that he bath the Spirit, findeth the certain proof of his Juffification, and earneft ofGlory. SECT. XVII. Of Love as the endof Faith. 247. This predominant Love of God and Holinefs , is fo proper a Cui spi bus unaeoq; oJtr fruit of theSpirit, that it is the very heart of the New Creature, the sewitam tatam elfe n , fum of Sanctification, as love is the fumof the Law. So that to give potefi. Non eft farm quad the Spirit of Adoption, to cry Abba, Father, and to fant`tifie , and to deer, niiirll d etiam ad- work in us the love of God and holinefs, are three phrafes of the fame elfeebeat.M. Atntóttinus 'fignification in the Wordof God, li. t t. left. et. p.113. 248. AsChrift asMediator is the fummarymeans and way to the Fa- ther, to bringman home to hisCreator; fo Faith in Chrift is a mediating Grace, to work in us the love of God : And aselfe-where I have oft faid, The bellomes of Faith kindling Love, and Love working by holyObedience, Patience, Mortification, Gratitude and Praife, is the fubftance of all true Religion. 249. Love being thefinal Grace, and Faith in Chr, but a means to cor. n. tait. Be tgt ri it, theend muff needs be more excellent thanthe means asfuch. And 1' whether the habit of thus Paul giveth the pre.eminence to Love. Love in patria be better than that of Faith and Tifton in genere merle only, or elfo in genere rei, the School-men are utterly difagreed. Cacere's fem. Theol. on. q. p. a. t. urnas inPola charitate fapernatnrali fit amicitia heminis ad Deum? Affirm. Rida Deus at ocher natura non ea communias, qua fontpropria ejus,fed folum elfe naturale& potential qua,&c. The Reafon is netfogood as the Aftertion. Vid. Brad ward. ii. r. c. t. cor. 3o. Contra indoPee attic amandi, nefeientes Deum ere propter feipfumamandom,& calera proptee Deum, omnefq; alt roe humanes ad ipfum propter fe flnaliterordinandas, ipfumq; elfe Japer amnia diligendam : andhis followingproof that God isnot to he finned againfì in the fmallell of his Precepts, or in the fmalleft thing, to avoid the greaten pain, or obtain the greateft good imaginable. N 250. And

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