A26892:1382
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.
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.
§. 2. In what I have said in this Direction, I desire you chiefly to observe these three things: 1. That Gods Nature, and Love are the sufficient general security to the soul: 2. That his Promise is the sufficient particular security: 3. And that our unfeigned self-dedication to him, is our sufficient evidence of our interest in his Love and Covenant, which may warrant our special Trust and expectations.
§. 3. II. The contraries to Trust in God are 1. Privative: not trusting him: not seeing the ground of just security in his Love and Promise: not crediting what is seen: not ceasing disquietness and distrustful cares and fears. 2. Positive distrust: supposing the All-sufficiency, Goodness and Promises of God, are not sufficient grounds of our expectation and security: and thereupon disquieting our minds with sinful fears, and griefs, and cares, and shifting endeavours for our selves some other way: And this hath various degrees: In some it is predominant; in others not. 3. Opposite or adverse: When we Trust our selves, or friends, or wealth, or something else instead of God, either against him, without him, or in co-ordination with him.
§. 4. III. The Counterfeits of this Trust are these: 1. When indeed we trust in our wit, or power, or shifts, or friends, or in some means or creatures only, or in co-ordination with God, but pretend and think that we do it but in subordination to him, and that our primary trust is in him alone. The detection of this is by trying how we can trust God alone, when he giveth us a promise and no probable means. 2. Pretending to trust God alone in the neglect of those means which he hath appointed us to use; and in the neglect of those duties which he hath made the condition of his promises: And this Trust is but a self-deceiving cover for sin and sloth. 3. Pretending to Trust God in ⟨p. 158⟩