Baxter - BV649 B3 1670

Sg Diffor¢zt priviletke,r of 'Members. diti+ns , of Vifible and Invifible Churchmem- berthip. The members of the Church myt$ical or Re- generate, have the pardon of all fin, and acce- prance with God, and communion withhim and with his Church in the fpirt, and are the adopted children of God, and heirs of everlafling life, and shall live in heaven withChrift for ever. The meer Vifible Members of the Church, that are not regenerate by the fpirit as well as facra- mentally bywiter, have only an outward Commu- nion with the Saints, and have only the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, and only a name to live when they are dead. And art there fuch great matters that we fhould envy them to poor (inners that muff have no More ? Have ire the Kernel, and do we envy them the Shell ? Have we the Spirit, and de we envy them the f -fh , or outward fgnes alone ? Yea confider f_rrther, that it is more for the fake of the truly faithful, than for their own, that all Hypocrites have their Ration and priviledges in the Church : God maketh ufe of their Gifts andProfefion for his elet ; tomany great fervi- ces of the Church And is it not then a foolifh ingratitude in us, tomurmur at their pretence ? flnderffandwell the conditions and Reafons of this v fible flare of memberfhip, and how far it is below the Rate of theRegenerate and it will turnyour ft parating murmuring into a thankful acknow;edgment ofthe wifdom ofGod. DIRECT.

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