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

Annotations' on Chap. 13. Love, the greateft ofthefe is Love: (For it is and in all his Saines, andall his Works: and the Divine Nature, the Everlaftitig Work, the it is the End to whichFaith and Hope are but Sours Felicity, even its Complacency in God, theMeans.) ANNOTATIflNS.. í. VETFaith and Hope have their pecúliarOffices, which Love alone cannot perform: As the Heart cannot do the Work of theHand orEye. 2. By Faith is meant, Believing and Trufting in God throughChrift for Grace and Glory. And by Hope is meant, a defirouscomforting expe&ation of theGood promifed and believed. 3. It followeth, That he hath the moftexcellent Knowledge, who hath mosh holy Love; 'And all the Learning that kindleth not this Love, ¡shut dreaming, doatiug, diverting and de- ceiving Vanity. 4. TheEnglifieabufe ofthe Word [Charity] deceiveth many, as ifit were nothing but Giving to the Poor : But it is the Love ofGod andHolinels, and of holy Perfons, and of our Neigh 's.. hours as our felves ; andCpecially of the holyCeleltial Society, Chrift, Angels and.Saints,- s. By this we fee, that rhofe Church-Rulers, Preachers, Writers,, Difputers, and all other ?vlaiignants, who zealoufly labour to deftroy Love, and to perfwade Chriftians to hate, and perfecute, and deftroy one another, for their felfifh Interefls,..:Opinions orFa&ions, whateveç they think of themfelves, are Diabolifts and Cainites, the Devil's Slaves, and in his Image dó his Work. . 6. It's made a doubt by'fome, Whether Faith and Hope continue not in Heaven ; becaufe, fay they, How !hall we know things part, (as the Creation, Flood, be) but by Believing And shall we not Believe andHope for the Perpetuity ofGlary ? But. t. We know not now inwhat manner God will makeknown things tous there: Whether in feeing him, we IA fee all things? or how ? 2. However, it will noc.be the fame things that are called Faith and IIle, which are exercifedon Promiles, and are but Means to that Perfe&ion which is their End : So that if you will callthem by the fame Names, they will belsut equivocal. 7. Thusmuch tells us what Meafure of Faith and Hope are necefiàry to Salvation, viz,, fo much as /Mall caufe in us frncere Love to God and Holinefs, and Heaven, andto one another. 8. This tells us what chore Texts do mean, which promife the Spiritof San&ification to pe- pitent Believers : .viz,. The Holy-Ghott doth but prepare us, and open the Door by Faith and Hope, that by them, as means, he may excite holy Love, and as a Spirit ofLovedwellin us, and poffefs us. y. This teacheth Minifters how to Preach, and People what andhow to hear; read, meditate, and confer, and live ; and what true Religion is, viz, To do all as may molt kindle holy 'Love, as we ufe theBellows to kindle the Fire. Pure Religiose, and undefiled, is tovif:t the Fa- xherlefs, asidWdews inadnerfi¡y, and keep oar flees unfsettedoftheWrld. 50. This teacheth us what Fear of God to ufe : None that breedeth hard thoughts of God; or quencheth holy Love, but a Reverence of him, and a Fear leash by Sinwe make our felves unlovely to him, and fall under that Juficewhich is holy and good, even when it defttoys thewicked. Other Fear of Godisefrnful Superftition. CH AP. XIV. a. 0llow after charity, and deGre fpiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophelle. t. The fum ofmy Advice is, That above all you value and purfúe Charity, (or holy Love :) Put defier all fpiritual Gifts, in fubordination toit, and for the profitable exercifè of it ; cod.therefols preferRrophefre, (which is Mee- kingby immediate Infpiration, to the Inftru- dion and Edification of others) as molt profi- table. 2. For he that fpeaketh in an un- known tongue, fpeaketh not unto men, but untoGod : for no loan un- derftandeth him; howbeit in the fpi- rit he fpeaketh mylIeries, 2. For he that fpeaketh in an unknown Language, fpeaketh not to the Underftanding of Mau, though God undecitand him: For though

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=