A26892:1618
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.
14. In all this the understanding acknowledgeth God to be God (by Assent) and to be Loved above my self, and the Will desireth so to Love him: But the object of the Will here directly, is its own future Disposition and Act: It doth not say, I do already Love God, as God above my self; but only I would so Love him, and I would be so changed as may dispose me so to Love him; I acknowledge that I should so love him, and that I do Love him for his mercies to my self and others. Nor can it be said, that Volo Veil or Volo amare, a desire to Love God as such, is direct Love to God. Because it is not all one to have God to be the object of my Will, and to have my own Act of Willing or Loving to be the object of it. And because that a man may for other ends (as for mere fear of Hell) Will to Will or Love, that which yet he doth not Will or Love, at least for it self.
14. In all this the understanding acknowledgeth God to be God (by Assent) and to be Loved above my self, and the Will desireth so to Love him: But the object of the Will here directly, is its own future Disposition and Act: It doth not say, I do already Love God, as God above my self; but only I would so Love him, and I would be so changed as may dispose me so to Love him; I acknowledge that I should so love him, and that I do Love him for his mercies to my self and others. Nor can it be said, that Volo Velle or Volo amare, a desire to Love God as such, is direct Love to God. Because it is not all one to have God to be the object of my Will, and to have my own Act of Willing or Loving to be the object of it. And because that a man may for other ends (as for meer fear of Hell) Will to Will or Love, that which yet he doth not Will or Love, at least for it self.
15. In this case above all others, it is manifest that every conviction of the understanding doth not accordingly determine the Will. For in this new convert the understanding saith plainly, God is to be Loved as God, above my self: But the Will saith, I cannot do it, though I would. I am so captivated by self-love, and so void of the true Love of God, that I can say no more, but that Propter me vellem amare Deum propter se; I love my own felicity so well, that I love God as my felicity and Love him under the notion of God the perfect Good, who is infinitely better than my self; and desire a heart to Love him more than my self; but I cannot say, that I yet do it, or that I love him best or most, whom I acknowledge to be best, and as such to be loved.