A26892:1320
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 1 › Chapter 3 › Direction 11 › Directions for Loving God as our Father and Felicity.
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.
§. 10. 11. Though Love in its own Nature be still the same; and is nothing but the Rational appetite of Good; or the Wills Volition of Good apprehended by the understanding; the first motion of the Will to Good, arising from that Natural inclination to Good which is the Nature of the Will, and the pondus ⟨p. 143⟩animae, the poise of the soul; or from healing Grace, which repaireth the breach that is made in nature; Yet Love in regard of the state of the Lover, and the way of its imperate acting is thus differenced. 1. Either the Lover is in the Hopeful pursuit of the thing beloved: and then it is DESIRING SEEKING LOVE: 2 Or he is or seemeth to be denied, destitute, and deprived of his beloved (in whole or in part): and then it is a MOURNING LAMENTING LOVE. 3. Or he enjoyeth his beloved: and then it is ENJOYING DELIGHTING LOVE: 1. The ordinary Love which Grace causeth on Earth is a predominancy of seeking desiring Love, encouraged1 by some little fore-tastes of enjoying delighting Love, and in a great measure attended with Mourning Lamenting Love. 2. The state of deserted, dark, declining, relapsing, and melancholy tempted Christians, is, A predominance of Mourning Lamenting Love, assisted with some help of seeking desiring Love; but destitute of enjoying delighting Love. 3. The state of the Glorified is Perfection of enjoying delighting Love alone. And all the rest are to bring us unto this.
§. 10. 11. Though Love in its own Nature be still the same; and is nothing but the Rational appetite of Good; or the Wills Volition of Good apprehended by the understanding; the first motion of the Will to Good, arising from that Natural inclination to Good which is the Nature of the Will, and the pondus ⟨p. 143⟩animae, the poise of the soul; or from healing Grace, which repaireth the breach that is made in nature; Yet Love in regard of the state of the Lover, and the way of its imperate acting is thus differenced. 1. Either the Lover is in the Hopeful pursuit of the thing beloved: and then it is DESIRING SEEKING LOVE: 2 Or he is or seemeth to be denyed, destitute, and deprived of his beloved (in whole or in part): and then it is a MOURNING LAMENTING LOVE. 3. Or he enjoyeth his beloved: and then it is ENJOYING DELIGHTING LOVE: 1. The ordinary Love which Grace causeth on Earth is a predominancy of seeking desiring Love, encouraged