A26892:1631
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.
97. Therefore when we are Promised the spirit to be given to us, if we Believe in Christ, and sanctification is promised us with Justification on this condition of faith, this is part of the meaning of that promise, that if we truly take Christ for our Saviour to bring us to the Love of God, though at present we are most moved with the Love of our selves to accept him, he will by his word, works and spirit bring us to it, initially here, and perfectly in Heaven, even to be perfectly Pleased in God for his own perfect Goodness, and so to be fully Pleasant to him. And thus (besides the extraordinary gifts to a few) the spirit of holiness or Love, which is the spirit of Adoption, is promised by Covenant to all Believers.
98. Accordingly this promise is so fulfilled that in the first instant of time we have a Relative Right to Christ as our Head and the sender of the spirit, and to the Holy Spirit himself as our sanctifier by undertaking, according to the terms of the Covenant: But this doth not produce always a sensible or effectual Love of God above our selves in us, at the very first, but by degrees, as we follow the work of faith in our practice.
98. Accordingly this promise is so fulfilled that in the first instant of time we have a Relative Right to Christ as our Head and the sender of the spirit, and to the Holy Spirit himself as our sanctifier by undertaking, according to the terms of the Covenant: But this doth not produce allwaies a sensible or effectual Love of God above our selves in us, at the very first, but by degrees, as we follow the work of faith in our practice.
99. For it is specially to be noted that the Doctrinal or Objective means of Love, which Christ doth use, and his internal spiritual influx do concur; And his way is not to work on us by his spirit alone, without those objects, nor yet by the objects without the spirit, nor by both distinctly and dividedly as producing several effects: But by both conjunctly for the same effect; The spirits influx causing us effectually to improve the objects and reasons of our Love, As the hand that useth the seal, and the seal it self make one impression.