A26892:1602
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.
84. He therefore that out of self-love, accepteth Christ as the Means of his own felicity, doth (if he know practically what felicity is) accept him as a means to bring him to Love God perfectly as God above himself, and to be perfectly Pleasing to his Will.
85. Yet it is apparent that almost all Gods preparing Grace consisteth in exciting and improving the Natural Principle of self-love in man; and manifesting to him, that if he will do as one that Loveth himself, he must be a Christian, and must forsake sin, and the inordinate Love of his sensuality, and must be Holy, and Love God for his own Essential, as well as Communicated Goodness. And if he do otherwise, he will do as one that hateth himself, and seeketh in the event his own damnation. And could we but get men Rationally to improve true self-love, they would be Christians, and so be Holy.
86. But because this is a great, though tender point, and it that I have more generally touched in the Case, Whether Faith in Christ, or Love to God as our End go first; and because indeed it is it for which I principally premise the rest of these Propositions, I shall presume to venture a little further, and more distinctly to tell you, how much of Love to God is in our first Justifying faith, and how much not? and how far the state of such a Believer is a middle state between mere Preparation, or common Grace, and proper Sanctification or possession of the Holy Ghost? And so how far Vocation giving us the first faith, and Repentance differeth from Sanctification: And the rather because my unriper thoughts and Writings defended Mr. Pemble, who made them one, in opposition to the stream of our Divines. And I conceive that all these following Acts about the point in question, are found in every true Believer, at his first faith, though not distinctly noted by himself.
86. But because this is a great, though tender point, and it that I have more generally touched in the Case, Whether Faith in Christ, or Love to God as our End go first; and because indeed it is it for which I principally premise the rest of these Propositions, I shall presume to venture a little further, and more distinctly to tell you, how much of Love to God is in our first Justifying faith, and how much not? and how far the state of such a Believer is a middle state between meer Preparation, or common Grace, and proper Sanctification or possession of the Holy Ghost? And so how far Vocation giving us the first faith, and Repentance differeth from Sanctification: And the rather because my unriper thoughts and Writings defended Mr. Pemble, who made them one, in opposition to the stream of our Divines. And I conceive that all these following Acts about the point in question, are found in every true Believer, at his first faith, though not distinctly noted by himself.