A26951:637
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
Part 3 › Chapter 2: Directions how to live by Faith on Jesus Christ.
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.
Direct. 7. Still think of Christs nearness both to the Father and to us; and so of our NEARNESS to God in and by him.
Our distance is the lamentable fruit of our Apostasy; which inferreth, our fears, and estrangedness, and backwardness to draw near to God: It causeth our ignorance of him, and our false conceits of his will and works: it greatly hindereth both love and confidence: whereas the apprehension of our nearness to God will do much to cure all these evils. As it is the misery of the proud, that God looketh on them as afar off, that is, with strangeness, and abhorrence, and disdain, Psal. 138.6. And accordingly they shall be far off from the blessed ones hereafter, Luke 16.23. So it is the happiness of Believers to be nigh to God, in Jesus Christ, who condescended to be nigh to us; which is our preparation to be yet nearer to him for ever, Psal. 148.14. & 34.18. & 145.18. Ephes. 2.13. It giveth the soul more familiar thoughts of God, who seemed before to be at an inaccessible distance; which is part of the boldness of access and confidence mentioned, Ephes. 3.12. & 2.18. Rom. 5.2. Heb. 10.19. We may come boldly to the Throne of grace, Heb. 4.16. And it greatly helpeth us in the work of Love, to think how near God is come to us in Christ, and how near he hath taken the humane nature unto