A26892:1399
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 12 › §. 7. Directions for a quieting and comforting Trust in God.
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.
§. 18. Direct. 11. Remember that Distrust is a pregnant multiplying sin, and will carry thee to all iniquity 1and misery, if thou suffer it to prevail. Distrusting God is but our entrance upon a life of error, sin and woe: It presently sets us on idolatrous confidence on flesh, and sinful shifts, and stretching conscience; It deludeth our judgements, and maketh every thing seem Lawful, which seems necessary to our safety and welfare; and every thing seem necessary, without which man cannot accomplish it. All sinful compliances, and temporizings, and man-pleasing, and believing sinful means to be no sin, proceed from this Distrust of God.
§. 18. Direct. 11. Remember that Distrust is a pregnant multiplying sin, and will carry thee to all iniquity 1and mise•y, if thou suffer it to prevail. Distrusting God is but our entrance upon a life of error, sin and wo: It presently sets us on idolatrous confidence on flesh, and sinful shifts, and stretching conscience; It deludeth our judgements, and maketh every thing seem Lawful, which seems necessary to our safety and welfare; and every thing seem necessary, without which man cannot accomplish it. All sinful complyances, and temporizings, and man-pleasing, and believing sinful means to be no sin, proceed from this Distrust of God.
- 1Direct. 11.
§. 19. Direct. 12. Suffer not distrustful thoughts and reasonings in thy mind, but cast them out, and 1command them to be gone. Cogitations are the instruments of good and evil in the mind of man: They cannot be acted but by Thoughts: And the will hath more command of the Thoughts, than it hath immediately of the passions themselves. If you cannot Trust God so quietly as you would, no keep under every fearful apprehension, yet keep out, or cast out the Thoughts which exercise your sin; and turn your thoughts to something else. If thoughts do not actuate it, your distrustful fears and cares will vanish. What are your cares, but the turmoiling of your thoughts? continually feeding upon difficulties and trouble, and tiring themselves with hunting about for help? Cast away the thoughts, and the cares are gone. You may do much in this, if you will, though it be difficult.