A26892:1600
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.
82 Though it be essential to Divine Love, and consequently to true Holiness, to Love God for Himself, and as Better than our selves; (or else we Love him not as God, as is before said) yet this is hardly and seldom perceived in the beginning in him that hath it: Because the Love of our self is more Passionate, and raiseth in us more subordinate passions, of fear of punishment, and desires of felicity and sorrow for hurt and misery, &c. Whereas God being Immaterial and Invisible, is not at all an object of our sense, but only of our Reason and our Wills, and therefore not directly of sensitive Passionate Love; Though consequently while the soul is united to the body, its acting even on Immaterial objects, moveth the lower sensitive faculties, and the corporeal spirits. Also God needeth nothing for us to desire for him, nor suffereth nothing for us to grieve for, though we must grieve for injuring him, and being displeasing to his Will.
83. I cannot say nor believe (though till it be searched the opinion hath an enticing aspect) that the Gospel faith which hath the promise of Justification and of the Spirit, is only a Believing in Christ as the Means of our felicity by Redemption and Salvation, out of the principle of self-love alone, and for no higher end than our said Felicity: Because he is not believed in as Christ, if he be not taken as a Reconciler to bring us home to God. And we take him not to bring us to God as God, if it be not to bring us to God as the Beginning and End of all things, and as infinitely more Lovely than our selves. And our Repentance for not Loving God accordingly above our selves, must go along with our first justifying faith. Therefore though we are Learners before we are Lovers, and our Assent goeth before the Wills Consent, yet our Assent that God is God, and better than our selves, must go together with our Assent that Christ is the Mediator to save us, by bringing us to him: And so must our Assent that this is salvation, even to Love God above our selves, and as better than our selves: And accordingly our Consent to these particulars must concur in saving faith.
83. I cannot say nor believe (though till it be searched the opinion hath an enticing aspect) that the Gospel faith which hath the promise of Iustification and of the Spirit, is only a Believing in Christ as the Means of our felicity by Redemption and Salvation, out of the principle of self-love alone, and for no higher end than our said Felicity: Because he is not believed in as Christ, if he be not taken as a Reconciler to bring us home to God. And we take him not to bring us to God as God, if it be not to bring us to God as the Beginning and End of all things, and as infinitely more Lovely than our selves. And our Repentance for not Loving God accordingly above our selves, must go along with our first justifying faith. Therefore though we are Learners before we are Lovers, and our Assent goeth before the Wills Consent, yet our Assent that God is God, and better than our selves, must go together with our Assent that Christ is the Mediator to save us, by bringing us to him: And so must our Assent that this is salvation, even to Love God above our selves, and as better than our selves: And accordingly our Consent to these particulars must concur in saving faith.