A26919:242
The divine life in three treatises
The divine life in three treatises ... by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Francis Tyton, 1664
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. By the way of Redemption, sin will be more dishonoured, and Holiness more advanced, then if sin had never been known in the world. Contraries illustrate one another. Health would not be so much valued if there were no sickness: nor Life if there were no Death: nor Day if there were no Night: nor Knowledge if there were no Ignorance: nor Good if man had not known Evil. The Holiness of God would never have appeared in execution of vindictive Justice against sin, if there had never been any sin: and therefore he hath permitted it, and will recover us from it, when he could have prevented our falling into it.
4. By this way also, Holiness and Recovering Grace shall be more triumphant against the Devil and all its enemies: By the many conquests that Christ will make over Satan, the World and the Flesh, and Death, there will very much of God be seen to us, that innocency would not thus have manifested.
5. Redemption brings God nearer unto man: The mystery of Incarnation giveth us wonderful advantages to have more familiar thoughts of God, and to see him in a clearer glass, then ever we should else have seen him in on earth, and to have access with boldness to the throne of grace. The pure Deity is at so vast a distance from us, while we are here in flesh, that if it had not appeared in the flesh unto us, we should have been at a greater loss. But now 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, believed on in the world, and received up into glory, 1 Tim. 3. 16.
5. Redemption brings God nearer unto man: The mysterie of Incarnation giveth us wonderful advantages to have more familiar thoughts of God, and to see him in a clearer glass, then ever we should else have seen him in on earth, and to have access with boldness to the throne of grace. The pure Deity is at so vast a distance from us, while we are here in flesh, that if it had not appeared in the flesh unto us, we should have been at a greater loss. But now without controversie great is the mysterie of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory,