A26892:1686
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.
PART I. Directions against UNBELIEF.
§. 1. I Know that most poor troubled Christians, when they complain of the sin of Unbelief, do mean by it, their not Believing that they are sincere believers, and personally justified, and shall be saved.1 And I know that some Divines have affirmed, that the sense of that Article of the Creed [I believe the Remission of sins] is [I believe my sins are actually forgiven.] But the truth is, to believe that I am elect or justified, or that my sins are forgiven, or that I am a sincere Believer, is not to Believe any word of God at all: For no word of God doth say any of these; nor any thing equivalent; nor any thing out of which it can be gathered: For it is a Rational Conclusion; and one of the premises which do infer it, must be found in my self by reflection; or internal sense and self-knowledge: The Scripture only saith [He that truly believeth is justified, and shall be saved.] But ⟨p. 197⟩it is Conscience, and not Belief of Scripture, which must say, [I do sincerely believe] Therefore the Conclusion [that I am justified, and shall be saved] is a Rational Collection from what I find in Scripture and in my self, set together; and resulting from both, can be no firmer or surer than is the weaker of the premises: Now Certainty is objective or subjective: in the Thing, or in my Apprehension: As to Objective Certainty in the thing it self, all truths are equally true: But all Truths are not equally discernible; there being much more cause of doubting concerning some (which are less evident) than concerning others (which are more evident). And so the Truth of Gods promise of Justification to believers, is more certain, that is, hath fuller surer Evidence to be discerned by, than the Truth of my sincere believing: And [that I sincerely believe] is the more Debile of the premises, and therefore the conclusion followeth this in its Debility: And so can be no article of faith. And as to the subjective Certainty, that varieth according to mens various apprehensions. The premises as in their evidence or aptitude to ascertain us, are the cause of the Conclusion as evident, or knowable. And the premises as apprehended are the Cause of the Conclusion as known.