Marshall - BT765 M37 1788

Direft. IV. Of San6 :cation, 79 of obedience, or refignating ass, that force would have to be the great conditions of our falvation; which are indeed no better than hypocritical ans, if they be not produced by this faith. There is indeed a counterfeit dead faith, fuch as wicked men may have ; and, if that tend to lícentioufnefs, let not true faith be blamed ; but rather mark the defcription of it which I have given, that you may not be deceiv- ed with a counterfeit faith inftead of it. I (hall add fomething concerning the efficient caufe of this excellent grace, and of our union with Chrift by it ; whereby it may appear, that it is not fo flight and eafy a way of falvation as force may i- magine. The author and finifher of our faith, and of our union and fellowship with Chrift, by faith, is no lefs than the infinite Spirit of God, and God and Chrift hirnfelf by the Spirit ; for, " by one Spirit we " are all baptized into one body of Chrift, and are CC all made to drink into one Spirit, t Cor. xii. 12, 41 13. God granteth us, according to the riches of. 's his glory, to be ftrengthened with all might, by 'C his Spirit, in the inner man, that Chrift may dwell cc in our hearts by faith," Eph.. iii. 16, i 7. If we do but confider the great effect of faith, that by it we are raifed to live above our natural condition, by Chrift and his Spirit living in us, we cannot rational- ly conceive, that it fhould be within the power of nature to do any thing that advanceth us fo high. If God hath done no more for us in our fanEZifica- tion, than to reftore us to our firti natural holinefs ; yet this could not have been done, without putting forth his own almighty power to quicken thofe that are dead in fin ; how much more is this almighty power needful to advance us to this wonderful new kind of frame, wherein we live and an above all the power of nature by an higher principle of life than was given to Adam in innocency, even by Chrift and his Spirit living and acting in us ? The natural man bringeth forth his offspring according to his image,

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