Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

The Life ofFaith. 205 Grace, which was made with lapfed man in order to his re- covery, through a Redeemer. Direct. 3. All that is efficiently necefary to ourfalvation, ín or of God, is not objeihivelynecfary to be known . And fuch a meafure of the knowledge of the Son, and if the Illy Ghoft is neceffary to fave us, as is ncctfary objectively tolanilifie us under the efficiency of the Paid Spirit : Andall the rcft is not of fuck ne- cefl. And therefore as under the G,fpel, the Spirit is Chrifis great Witnefs, as well as Agent in the world, it is mora ooecej- jary now to believe elijlïnllly in the H ly Ghaf in that relation, than it was before arias coming in rh flefh. There is a great deal of the Divine Perfet`,fion, which caukth our falvation, unknown to us : As the Sun will thine upon us, and the wind will blow, and the rain will tall, and the earthwill bear fruits, whether we know it or not; fa our knowledge ofit, is not at all neceffary to anyDivine Effi- ciency as fuch : The Spirit by which we are regenerate, is like the wind that blowcth, whole foundwe hear, but know not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth (no nor what it is) John 3. 6,7,8 9. But all thole things which are neceffary to work objeF,tively and moray on the foul, do work in el* cognito ; and the knowledge ofthem is as neceffary as theope- ration is. it was of abtolute neceffìty to the falvation ofall, be- fore Chrifis coming, and among the Gentiles as well as the Jews , that the Spirit fhould fandifie them to God, by poffeffing them with a predominant Love of hiin in his Giodncfs; and that this Spirit proceed from the Sonar Wijdomof God : But it was not In neceffary to them as it is now to us, to have a dittin61 knowledge of the perlonality and operations of the Spirit, and of the S ri. And though now it is certain that Chrift is the IVay, the Truth, and the Life, and no man cometh tothe Father, but by the Son, Joh.14.6. Yet that knowledge of him, which is neceffary to them that hear the Gofpel, is not all neceffary to them that never hear it though the fame efficiency on his part be neceffary : And fo it is about the knowledge of the Holy Ghott;without which Cbriti cannot be fufl'iciently now known , and rightly believe& rn. Direct. 4. Thepretence or operation of the Spirit of God is D d 3 sattfeliy

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