Baxter - BV4253 B39 C78 1658

'By the Crop ofC4ri1, terred the guilty into a more Lovely face, as being Reconcilable, andConditionally Reconciled to the world through Chrift, and fo become to all the finful fonsof Adam a fit obje4`t toattract their Love, anddraw off their hearts from the deceiving world , to which they were revolted : and as being actually reconciled to all true Believers, and thereby become a yet more powerful at- tractive of their Love. 7. It doth alto more fully reveal the face of God, the objeâ of our Love, and the tranfcendent Glory that in himwe (hall enjoy. 8. And it difgraceth the crea- tures which have diverted our Affeáions ; that we may be taken off our falfeetlimation of them. 9. It earnestly perfwadeth and fol.liciteth us to obey, and calls onus to turn from the world to God. i o, It backeth thefe perfwafionswith terrible threatnings, if we do not forfake the creature and return. T< i. It prefcribeth tons thefindingOrdinances and Means by which this work may be further carryed on. i 2. And laftly it dire&eth us to the right rife of the creatures , initead of that carnal enjoying of them that would undo us. By all thefe means, (which time doth permit me but briefly tomention) the Gofptl of Chrift Both tend to Crucifie the world to us, and to recover our hearts to the Chiefeft Good. And betides all this which the Crois and the Doctrine of Chrift do to this End that youmay yet fullyer perceive how much it is the End of Chrifts veryoffice , and the execution thereof, let me add thefe two things. i. That it is the Endof Chrifts providential d fpenfations. 2. And the work which he fendeth the Holy Ghoft to perform upon the fouls of his Elect. t. As the Mercies of God are purpofely givenus to lead up our hearts to him that gave them : So when we carnally abufe them, and adhere unto the creature, it is the fprcial ufe of Af- flictionto take us off. If the rod have a voice , it fpeaks this as plain as any thing whatfoever ; and if it reprehend us for any fin, it is for our overvaluing andadhering to the creature. The wounds that Chrift giveth us, are not to kill us but to feparate us from the world, that bath feparated us fromGod. 2. And that this is.the very officeor undertaken work of the Holy Ghoft, is raft all controverfie : His work is to fanctifie us; and that is by takingus off the creature, tobring us to be hearti- ly Devoted unto God. Sanctification is nothingelfe, but our feparation 73

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