Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch. 117. Offences to St. L 3o. And he faid, Nay, father Abraham : but if one went unto them from the dead, they will re- pent. 3o, Sure filch an Apparition would con- vince them, and affright them .to Repen- tance. 3 r. And he faid unto him, If they hear not Mofes and the pro- phets, neither will they be per- fwaded, though one rofe from the dead. 3r. (If it were fo, God will not change his way of Salvation to perfuade wilful, fen- fuel fanners.) But it is not fo ; for God's Word and Minigers are a more foitabfe means of converting fanners, than a man would be from the dead: God will blefs his own Means: And affrightingmen will not renew their Natures, and kindle in them a Love to God and ilolinefs. And how little fhould weknow whether one from the Dead were a Devil or a credible Meffenger? and whetherhe Paid true or falle? Should he dwell with us as long as Minigers do, men would again de- fpife and perfecute him : Should he come bue once, it wouldnot equal the daily follicitati- ons of God's Minifters. Will one from the Deadheal all Difeafes with a word, and raife the Dead, and fend down the Holy Ghoft on all the Faithful, and give fuch proof of his Truth, as the Prophets, and Chrilt, and the Apoftles have done? Will his words have more Lighi and Power, than God'sWord bath? Or would not your fiefhly Brethren ac- cute him of fcandalizing and flandering the Soul of their noble decealèd Brother, for tel- ling them he is in Hell, and perfecute him, if he were within their power. - Nate; Chrigians, remember with thankful- nefe, that you have a far better means for your Salvation, than one from the Deadwould be ; andufe itaccordingly. CHAP. XVII. r.THen faid he unto the difci- pies, It is impoffible but that offences will come : but wo unto him through whom they come. 2. It were better for him that a milftone were hanged about his uke. be avoided, Ch. 17, neck, and he caft into the fea, then that he fhould offend one of thefe littleones. r, 2. It is a thing thatwill certainly come to pals, and mutt be expected, that divers hinderances and oppofilìonè will meet men to keep them from Faith' and Holinefs, and that by divers form ofperlons: But the fin of Poch hinderers is heinous, tending to oppofe the Gofpel of Salvation, and ro damn Souls ; and woe to them, that by their malignity do thus ferve Satan againft Chrift. 2. They may blindly flatter themfelves by malice, or falli reafoning, or worldly Inrereft; but their cafe is more miferable, than if theywere drowned in the depth of the Sea. 3. Take heed to your felves : If thy brother trefpafs againft thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, for- give him. 4. And if he trefpafs againit thee feven times in a day, and feven times in aday turn again to thee, laying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 3, 4. Take heed that you hinder not any man in the mattersof his Salvation, by per- fuafion, example, or perfecution: But if any man offend you by fin, or injury, reprove him ; and if he repent, forgive him. Nate I. The meaning is not, that the mock. repentance of one that will feven times a day commit grofs fins, or injury, and fay, I re, pent, when it is notorious that he doth not, fhould be forgiven for an hypocritical word: But that True Repentance fhould be accepted, how o& ['never men offend. Qu. Arefb we not forgive meet, alders they eanfefi and repent ? 1''. There are feveral degrees offorgivenefs : r. We mug fo far forgive the impenitent, as to love them as men, and defire and endeavour their good, without revenge. 2. But we mug forgive none but the penitent fo far, as to take them into the fpecial Love, which belongeth to Chriftian Friends. But then it fuppofeth that the fault be grofs fin, and not an injury by tolerable Errour, which he is not convinced of, nor can be. 5. And the Apoftle Paid unto the Lord, Increafe our faith. ç. Seeing it is by Faith that we mull do Miracles, and mug be faved, Give us mdra Faith. 6., And the Lord Paid, If ye had faith as a grain of muftárd feed, yé might

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