Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

Sß4 The Life of Faith. by a major vote? Or in a fupercilious condemning the men). bets ofChrill, and a proud contempt of others as too unholy for our icommunion , when we never had autkority to try or judge them ? Is it in the multitude ofSecs and divifions; every one laying, Our party, and our way is be (l? Surely all this is unlike to Heaven, : It is rather in the tTéfdam, and Holi- nefsand Vni:y of all the members : When they all know God, elpecially in his Love and Goodnefc, and when they fervently love him, and chearfullyand univerfally obeyhim; and when they love each other fervently, and with a pure heart, and without divifions do hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond ofpeace; and with one heart, and mind, and mouth, doglo- rifie God and our Redeemer. Leaving that Church-Judgment to the Paffors which Chrifi hath'put into their hands; and leaving Gods part of Judgment unto iiritPelf. This is to be like to our heavenly exemplar, and to do Gods Will on Earth a: done ín Heaven, Ephef. 4. 2, 3,4, I r, 12, t 6. 9. And we muff alto look back to the examples of their .lives, while they were onearth ; and fee wherein they are to be imitated as the imitatorsof Jcfus Chrif}: which way went they to Heaven before us? r o. Lafily, We mull give God thanks on their behalf s" for making them fo peeled, and bringing them fo near him, and laving them from fin, and Satan, and the world, and bringing them fafe to Heaven, through. fo many temptations, difficulties and fufferings : For making them fuch inthuments ofhis glory, in their times, and (hewing his glory upon them :and to them in the Heavens ? For making them fuch bleffings to the world in their generations, and for giving us in them fuch patterns offaith, obedience and patience, and making them fo great encouragements to us, who may the more bold- ly follow them in faith, duty and fufErings, who have con- Tiered all, and 1pcd fo well : For, thawing us by faith their prefent (late of glory with Chrift, for our confirmati)n and confutation. Thus far, in all thefe ten particulars, we mutt have a heavenly converfation with theglorified by Faith. Diem& 8. Confider next whereinyour imitation of tbe ex- ample of their lives on earth coafjfetb. And it is a. Not in comrrìitting any of their fins, nor ladul4ing

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