A26892:1745
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.
Part 1 › Chapter 4 › Part 2: Directions against Hardness of Heart.
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. IT is necessary that some Christians be better informed what Hardness of Heart is who most complain of it. The Metaphor is taken from the Hardness of any matter which a workman would make an impression on: And it signifieth the passive and active Resistance of1 the heart against the Word and Works of God: When it receiveth not the impressions which the Word should make, and obeyeth not Gods Commands, but after great and powerful means remaineth as it was before, unmoved, unaffected, and disobedient. So that Hardness of heart is not a distinct sin, but the habitual power of every sin, or the deadness, unmoveableness and obstinacy of the heart in any sin. So many duties and sins as there be, so many ways may the heart be hardened against the W•rd which forbiddeth those sins, and commandeth those duties. It is therefore an ex•or that hath had very ill consequents on many persons, to think that Hardness of Heart is nothing but a want of passionate feeling in the matters which concern the soul; especially a want of sorrow and tears. This hath made them over-careful for such tears, and grief, and passions, and dangerously to make light of the many greater instances of the Hardness of their Hearts. Many beginners in Religion (who are taken up in penitential duties) do think that all Repentance is nothing, but a change of opinion, except they have those passionate griefs, and tears which indeed would well become the penitent: And hereupon they take more pains with themselves to affect their hearts with sorrow for sin, and to wring out tears, than they do for many greater duties: But when God calleth them to Love him, and to Praise him, and to be Thankful for his Mercies, or to love an enemy, or forgive a wrong; when he calleth them to mortify their earthly mindedness, their carnality, their pride, their passion, or their disobedience, they yield but little to his call, and show here much greater Hardness of Heart, and yet little complain of this, or take notice of it. I entreat you therefore to observe, that the greater the Duty is the worse it is to Harde• the Heart against it: And the greater the sin is, the worse it is to Harden the heart by obstinacy in it. And that the great duties are, The Love of God and man, with a mortified and heavenly mind and life, and to resist Gods Word commanding these is the great and dangerous Hardening of the Heart.