Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

I48 the Life of Faith. in effe`cognito, he forefeeth how amiable his grace will make us ; and partly with a Love of benevolence, intending to give us that grace which (hall make us really the objcds of his further Love : And having received this grace, it caufeth us to love God : And when we live God, we are really the ob- jeds of his complacential Love ; and when we perceive this, it (tiil increafeth our Love : And thus the mutual Love of God and Man, is the truc perpetual motion, which hath an everlafting cauce, and therefore mua have an everlafling duration. And fo the faith which hathonce kindled Love, even fincere Love to God in Chrift, bath taken rooting in the heart, and lyeth deeper than the head, and will hold fait, and incrcafe as Love increafeth. And this is the true reafon of the ftedfaftnefs and happinefs of many weak unlearned Chriflians, who have not the di- ftined conceptions and reafonings of learned men , and yet be- cauCe their Faith is turned into Love, their Leve doth help to confirm their Faith: And as they love more heartily ; fo they believe moteffedfaffy, and perfeveringly, than many who can fay more for their faith. And fo much for the ftrcngthening of your faith. CHAP. IX. GeneralDireaions for exercifing the Life ofFaith."' Aving told you how Fault mull be confirmed, I am next co tell you how it mutt b of d. And in this I (hall be- gin with Ionic General Direlliins and then proceed to fuch particular caf s,in which we have. the great&&.ß ufe for Faith: Dire& a. Remember the necegyty of Faith in all the bufynefI of your hearts and lives, that nothing cou be . done well without it, There is no fin to be conquered, no grace to be exercited, no worfhip to be performed, nor no ads of mercy, or juflice, or worldly bufinefs, to be well done without it, in any manner aec:ptablc to God. Without Faith it is impogible topleafe God, Hob. a a. 6. You may as well go about your bodily work with- out your eye-fight, as about your fpiritual work without Faith.. Dirt& 2,.

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