A26892:1659
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.
Otherwise your arguing is as strong if it run thus; That which God bringeth to pass, and not another thing; he willeth and loveth more than that other: But God bringeth to pass mens sickness, pain, death and damnation, and not the Holiness, Ease or Salvation of those persons: Therefore he loveth their pain, death and damnation better than their Holiness: Therefore we should love them better, and the Devils or miserable men should love their misery better than Holiness. God showeth what he loveth, oft by commanding it, when he doth not effect it: He loveth Holiness in esse cognito, and in esse existente respectively as his Image.
Otherwise your arguing is as strong if it run thus; That which God bringeth to pass, and not another thing; he willeth and loveth more than that other: But God bringeth to pass mens sickness, pain, death and damnation, and not the Holiness, Ease or Salvation of those persons: Therefore he loveth their pain, death and damnation better than their Holiness: Therefore we should love them better, and the Devils or miserable men should love their misery better than Holiness. God sheweth what he loveth, oft by commanding it, when he doth not effect it: He loveth Holiness in esse cognito, and in esse existente respectively as his Image.
Object. But at least it will follow, that in this or that person as the Devils, God loveth the substance better than Holiness: For what he Willeth he Loveth: But he Willeth the substance without the Holiness: Therefore he Loveth the substance without the holiness.
Answ. It is answered already. Moreover 1. God willed that Holiness should be the Duty of all men and Devils, though he willed not insuperably and absolutely to effect it. 2. The word [without] meaneth either an Exclusion or a meer non-inclusion. God willeth not the Person excluding the Holiness. For he excludeth it not by will or work; but only he willeth the Person, not including the Holiness, as to any absolute will. And so God loveth the person without the Holiness; but not so much as he would love him if he were holy.