Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .B352 1835 v2

AN APPENDIX. A BREVIATE OF THE HELPS OF FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. A BREVIATE OF THE PROOF OF SUPERNATURAL REVE- LATION, AND THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY. 1 TIMOTHY iii. 16. WITHOUT CONTROVERSY, GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: GOD WAS MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH, JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT, SEEN OF' ANGELS, PREACHED TO THE GENTILES, RELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD, RECEIVED UP INTO GLORY. THESE are the creed, or six articles of the gospel, which the apostles preached. L God, manifested in the flesh of Jesus, is the first and great article. Believe this, and believe all. No wonder that believing Jesus Christ is the Son of God is so often made in Scripture the description of saving faith, the title to baptism, and pardon, and sal- vation, the evidence of the Spirit, &c. He that truly and practi- cally believeth that God came in flesh to man, and that Christ is the Father's messenger from heaven, must needs believe that God bath a great value for the souls ofmen, and for his church, that he despiseth not even our flesh; that his word is true, and fully to be trusted; that he who so wonderfully came to man, will certainly take up man to him. Who can doubt of the immortality ofsouls, or that Christ will receive the departing, souls ofthe faithful to himself, who believeth that he took man's nature, and hath glori- fied it now in heaven, in union with the divine? Who can ever have low thoughts of God's love and mercy who believeth this ? and who can prostitute his soul and flesh to wickedness, who firmly believeth that he took the soul and flesh of man to sanctify and glorify it ? Il The Holy Spirit is the justification of the truth of Jesus Christ. He is Christ's advocate and witness to the world. He

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