Part 1 › Chapter 4 › Part 1: Directions against UNBELIEF., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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§. 34. Direct. 31. Judge not of so great a thing, by sudden apprehensions, or the surprise of a temptation, ¹when you have not leisure to look up all the evidences of faith, and lay them together, and take a full deliberate view of all the cause. It is a mystery so great as requireth a clear and vacant mind, delivered from prejudice, abstracted from diverting and deceiving things; which upon the best assistance, and with the greatest diligence, must lay all together to discern the truth. And if upon the best assistance and consideration you have been convinced of the truth, and then will let every sudden thought, or temptation, or difficulty seem enough to question all again, this is unfaithfulness to the truth, and the way to resist the clearest evidences, and never to have done. It is like as if you should answer your adversary in the Court, when your witnesses are all dismissed, or out of the way, and all your evidences are absent, and perhaps your Counsellor and Advocate too. It is like the casting up of a long and intricate account, which a man hath finished by study and time, and when he hath done all, one questioneth this particular, and another that, when his accounts are absent: It is not fit for him to answer all particulars, nor question his own accounts till he have as full opportunity and help to cast up all again.

§. 34. Direct. 31. Iudge not of so great a thing, by sudden apprehensions, or the surprize of a temptati•n, ¹when you have not leisure to look up all the evidences of faith, and lay them together, and take a full deliberate view of all the cause. It is a mystery so great as requireth a clear and vacant mind, delivered from prejudice, abstracted from diverting and deceiving things; which upon the best assistance, and with the greatest diligence, must lay all together to discern the truth. And if upon the best assistance and consideration you have been convinced of the truth, and then will let every sudden thought, or temptation, or difficulty seem enough to question all again, this is unfaithfulness to the truth, and the way to resist the clearest evidences, and never to have done. It is like as if you should answer your adversary in the Court, when your witnesses are all dismist, or out of the way, and all your evidences are absent, and perhaps your Counsellor and Advocate too. It is like the casting up of a long and intricate account, which a man hath finished by study and time, and when he hath done all, one questioneth this particular, and another that, when his accounts are absent: It is not fit for him to answer all particulars, nor question his own accounts till he have as full opportunity and help to cast up all again.

1Direct. 31.

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§. 37. Direct. 34. Judge not of so great a cause in a time of Melancholy, when fears and confusions ¹make you unfit; But in such a case as that, as also when ever Satan would disturb your settled faith, or tempt you at his pleasure, to be still new questioning resolved cases, and discerned truths, abhor his suggestions, and give them no entertainment in your thoughts, but cast them back into the Tempters face. There is not one Melancholy person of a multitude but is violently assaulted with temptations to blasphemy and unbelief, when they have but half the use of Reason and no composedness of mind to debate such controversies with the Devil: It is not fit for them in this incapacity to hearken to any of those suggestions, which draw them to dispute the foundations of their faith, but to cast them away with resolute abhorrence: Nor should any Christian that is soundly settled on the true foundation, gratify the Devil so much as to dispute with him when ever he provoketh us to it, but only endeavour to strengthen our Faith, and destroy the remnants of unbelief.

§. 37. Direct. 34. Iudge not of so great a cause in a time of Melan•holy, when fears and confusions ¹make you unfit; But in such a case as that, as also when ever Satan would disturb your setled faith, or tempt you at his pleasure, to be still new questioning resolved cases, and discerned truths, abhor his suggestions, and give them no entertainment in your thoughts, but cast them back into the Tempters face. There is not one Melancholy person of a multitude but is violently assaulted with temptations to blasphemy and unbelief, when they have but half the use of Reason and no composedness of mind to debate such controversies with the Devil: It is not fit for them in this incapacity to hearken to any of those suggestions, which draw them to dispute the foundations of their faith, but to cast them away with resolute abhorrence: Nor should any Christian that is soundly setled on the true foundation, gratifie the Devil so much as to dispute with him when ever he provoketh us to it, but only endeavour to strengthen our Faith, and destroy the remnants of unbelief.

1Direct. 34.

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§. 39. Direct. 36. Labour earnestly for the Love of every Truth which you believe, and to feel the ¹renewing power of it upon your hearts; and the reforming power on your lives; especially that you may be advanced to the Love of God and to a Heavenly mind and life: And this will be a most excellent help against all temptations to unbelief. For, the Heart holdeth the Gospel much faster than the Head alone. The seed that is cast into the earth if it quicken and take root, is best preserved; and the deeper rooted, the surer it abideth: but if it die, it perisheth and is gone. When the seed of the holy word hath produced the new creature, it is sure and safe: But when it is retained only in the brain as a dead Opinion, every temptation can overturn it. It is an excellent advantage that the serious practical Christian hath, above all hypocrites and unsanctified men: Love will hold faster than dead belief. Love is the Grace that abideth for ever; and that is the enduring faith which works by Love. The experienced Christian hath felt so much of the power and Goodness ⟨p. 202⟩o• the w•rd, that if you puzzle his head with subtle reasonings against it, yet his heart and experience will not suffer him to let it go. He hath ta•ted it so sweet, that he will not Believe it to be bitter, though he cannot answer all that is said against it. If another would persuade you to believe ill of your dearest friend or Father, Love and experience would better preserve you from his deceit, than reasoning would do. The new creature, or new nature in believers, and the experience of Gods Love communicated by Jesus Christ unto their souls, are constant witnesses to the word of God: He that believeth hath the witness in himself, that is, The Holy Ghost which was given him, which is an objective testimony or an evidence, and an effective. Of this see my Treat. of Infidelity. Unsanctified men may be […] turned to Infidelity, For they never felt the renewed quickening work of faith; nor were •v•• brought by it to the Love of God and a holy and heavenly mind and •i••. They that never were Christians at the Heart, are soonest turned from being Christians in opinion and name.

§. 39. Direct. 36. Labour earnestly for the Love of every Truth which you believe, and to feel the ¹renewing power of it upon your hearts; and the reforming power on your lives; especially that you may be advanced to the Love of God and to a Heavenly mind and life: And this will be a most excellent help against all temptations to unbelief. For, the Heart holdeth the Gospel much faster than the Head alone. The seed that is cast into the earth if it quicken and take root, is best preserved; and the d•eper rooted, the surer it abideth: but if it die, it perisheth and is gone. When the seed of the holy word hath produced the new creature, it is sure and safe: But when it is retained only in the brain as a dead Opinion, every temptation can overturn it. It is an excellent advantage that the serious practical Christian hath, above all hypocrites and unsanctified men: Love will hold faster than dead belief. Love is the Grace that abideth for ever; and that is the enduring faith which works by Love. The experienced Christian hath felt so much of the power and Goodness ⟨p. 202⟩o• the w•rd, that if you puzzle his head with subtile reasonings against it, yet his heart and experience will not suffer him to let it go. He hath ta•ted it so sweet, that he will not Believe it to be bitter, though he cannot answer all that is said against it. If another would perswade you to believe ill of your dearest friend or Father, Love and experience would better preserve you from his deceit, than reasoning would do. The new creature, or new nature in believers, and the experience of Gods Love communicated by Jesus Christ unto their souls, are constant witnesses to the word of God: He that believeth hath the witness in himself, that is, The Holy Ghost which was given him, which is an objective testimony or an evidence, and an effective. Of this see my Treat. of Infidelity. Unsanctified men may be 〈…〉 turned to Infidelity, For they never felt the renewed quickning work of faith; nor were •v•• brought by it to the Love of God and a holy and heavenly mind and •i••. They that never were Christians at the Heart, are soonest turned from being Christians in opinion and name.

1Direct. 36.