A26892:1732
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.
1. Those that think that every book of Scripture doth now prove it self to be Divine prop•ia luce, by its own matter, stile and other properties, will accordingly say, that by Hearing the Prophets then, as well as by Reading them now, this intrinsic satisfactory evidence was discernible. All that I can say of this is, that there are such Characters in the Prophecies as are a help to faith, as making it the more easily credible that they are of God, but not such as I could have been ascertained by (especially as delivered by parcels then,) if there had been no more.
1. Those that think that every book of Scripture doth now prove it self to be Divine prop•ia luce, by its own matter, stile and other properties, will accordingly say, that by Hearing the Prophets then, as well as by Reading them now, this intrinsick satisfactory evidence was disc••nable. All that I can say of this is, that there are such Characters in the Prophecies as are a help to faith, as making it the more easily credible that they are of God, but not such as I could have been ascertained by (especially as delivered by parcels then,) if there had been no more.
2. Nor do I acquiesce in their answer who say that, Those that have the same spirit, know the stile of the spirit in the Prophets. For, 1. This would suppose none capable of believing them groundedly that had not the same spirit; 2. And the spirit of sanctification is not enough to our discerning Prophetical inspirations, as reason and experience fully proveth. The gift of discerning spirits. 1 Cor. 12. 10. was not common to all the sanctified.
2. Nor do I acqui•sce in their answer who say that, Those that have the same spirit, know the stile of the spirit in the Prophets. For, 1. This would suppose none capable of believing them groundedly that had not the same spirit; 2. And the spirit of sanctification is not enough to our discerning Prophetical inspirations, as reason and experience fully proveth. The guist of discerning spirits.