Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

The Life of Faith. 231 Dire& 29. Conveyfe with tbojewho bave ntoff of the Spirit, asfar asyeu can attain it. And that is not thofè that are molt for revelations or vifions, or that pretend to extraordinary illuminations, or that let the Spirit againtt the Word ; or that boall moll of the Spirit, in contempt of others: But chofe who are moll bumble, molt hály, and moll heavenly; who love God molt, and hate lin molt. Convetfe with fuch as have moil of the Spirit (oflove and heavenlinefs) is the way to make you more fpiritual; as converfe with learned men is the way to learning : For the Spirit givoth his graces in the ufe offuitable means, as well as he doth his commongifts, Jude 20,Z I. Heb.:0.24,25.. & 3.13. Epbef; 4. 1z,i5,16. Diree . 3'o. Laftly, The right ordering of the body it felf ie a help toour fpirituality. A clean and a cbearful body is a fitter intlrument for the Spirit to make ufe of, than onethat is op- preti with crudities, or dcjec`ted with heavy melancholy. .Therefore cfpecially avoid two cxtrcams : is The fatif fying the lufts of the fiefh , and clogging the body with excels of meat or drink, or corrupting the fantafie with fooli(h plcafures : 2. And the addic`ding your felves to di ffraaing melancholy, or to any difronfolate or difcontenteeF thoughts. And fro j" cc you may both take notice of the fide of' all that fa(tin nd abttinenccwhich God commandethus, and ofthe true mrafure of it, viz, as it either fitteth or unfitteth the body for our duty, and for our ready obedience to the Spirit ofGod. i Cor. 9. 27. Ikeep under any body, and bring it into fubjellion, left by anymeans when I have preached to others-, I`my felffhould be a calf away. Ram. 13. 12,13,14. Let us walk boneffl as in the day ; not in rioting and drunk(nnefs, not in chamberingand rrantonnefs, not in ffrife and envying but put, ye on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and make no provifronfor the flefh, for tuff, Pampering the body, and addicting our (elves to the pleating of it, turneth a man from fpirituality into bruitith- nefs;, and favouring or minding the things of the fleth, de- ilroyethboth the relifh and minding of the things ofthe Spirit, Rom, 8. 50,7,8. And a fowre difcontcntcd mclancholytcm- pero

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