Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

2o6 The Life of Faith. cafualythe fpiritual Life of man, in bit bolinefs: As there is so natural Beingbut by influencefrom bit Being; fo no Life but by communication from his Life, andno Light but from hx Light, and no Love or Goodnefs, but from hie Spirit of Love. It is therefore a vain conceit of them, that think man in innocency had notthe Spirit of God : They that fay, his na- tural rcr4itude was infleadofthe Spirit, do but fay,and unfiy for his natural rc htude was the effe6} of the influx or com- munication of Gods Spirit : And he could have no rnorad re&itudc without it ; as there can be no tffed without the chief caufe: The nature of Love and Holinefs canm;t fubfì(l; but in dependance on the Love and Holinefs of God : And thole Papifis who talk of mans (late firff in pure naturals, and an af- ter donation ofthe Spirit, mutt mean by pure naturals, maxi in hie meet effentials, not really, but notionally by ab!lraílìon di- fltngui(hed, from the fame man at the fame instant as a Saint; or ciG. they fpeakunfoundly : For God made man in moral difpofitive goodnefs at the firft ; and the fame Love or Spirit, which did to fl nnak; him fo, was neceffary after to continue him fo. It was never his nature to be a prime good, or to be good independently without the influence of the prime good, Ifa. 44.3. Ezek. 36.27. Job 26.13. Pfal. 51.I0,I2 & 143. IC). Prov. 20.27. Mal. 2.15. John 3.5,6. 8,16.63. & 7.39. Korn. 8. , 1,5,6.9,13,16. I Cor. 6. 11. & 2.I 1,I2. & 6.17. & 12.11113. & 15. 45. a Cor. 3. 3, 17. Ephef 2. 18, 22. & 3. 16. & 5. 9. Col. 1.8, Jude 19. Dire'. . 5. The Spirit of God, and the .Holinefs of the foul may be loft, without the deffrufiion of our eff nce, or ffeeies of humanenature; andmay be reftored without making rte pecificaVy other things. That influence of the Spirit which giveth us the faculty of a :NationalAppetite or Will, inclined togood as good, cannot ceafe., but our humanity or Being would ceafe : But that in- fluence of the Spirit, which caufeth our adherence to God by Love, may ceafe, without the ceffation of our Beings ; as oar health may be loft, while our life continueth, Pfal. 51. to. 1 Thef 5. 19. Dire:. 6. Thegreateft mercy in this world, is the gift of the Spirit, and thegreateft mifery is to be deprived of the t?pirit ; and

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