A26951:405
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1670
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.
19. And the preservation of that Grace in the soul which is once given us, is also an effect of the POWER of God. Our strength is in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. 6.10. It is our Lord himself, who is the Lord of life, and whose Priesthood was made after the power of an endless life, Heb. 7.16. who giveth us the Spirit of Power and of Love, and of a sound mind, 2 Tim. 1.7. (or of received wisdom, for [Greek or Hebrew] is sound understanding received by instruction: And this text expresseth the three parts of Gods Image in the new Creature, [Greek or Hebrew]. And as Power is given us with Love and Wisdom; so Power with Love and Wisdom do give it us; and Power also must preserve it, 1 Pet. 1.5. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 2 Tim. 1.8. According to the power of God who hath saved us. The Gospel is the Power of God (that is, the instrument of his Power) to our salvation. Rom. 1.16. So 1 Cor. 1.18, To us that are saved it is the power of God; because Christ whom it revealeth, is the power and wisdom of God, v. 24. And thus our faith standeth in the power of God, 1 Cor. 2.5. 2 Cor. 6.7. And the Kingdom of God in us doth consist in power, 1 Cor. 4.20. The mind of man is very ⟨p. 123⟩mutable; and he that is possessed once with the desires of things spiritual and eternal, would quickly lose those desires, and turn to present things again, (which are still before him, while higher things are beyond our sense) if the Power and Activity of the divine life, did not preserve the spark which is kindled in us. Though the doctrine of Perseverance be controverted in the Christian Church, yet experience assureth us of that which all parties are agreed in: Some hold that all true Christians persevere; and some hold that all confirmed Christians persevere (that is, those who come to a strong degree of grace) but those that think otherwise do yet all grant, that if any fall away, it is comparatively but a very few, of those who are sincere. When none would persevere if Omnipotency did not preserve them.