A26892:528
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. I know the factions that take up their Religion on the credit of their party, are against this Direction: thinking that you must first hit on the right Church, and then hold all that the Church doth hold; and therefore change your mind in nothing, which you this way receive. I know also that some Libertines and half-believers, would corrupt this Direction, by extending it to the most plain and necessary truths; persuading you to hold Christianity it self, but as an uncertain probable Opinion.
§. 1. I know the factions that take up their Religion on the credit of their party, are against this Direction: thinking that you must first hit on the right Church, and then hold all that the Church doth hold; and therefore change your mind in nothing, which you this way receive. I know also that some Libertines and half-believers, would corrupt this Direction, by extending it to the most plain and necessary truths; perswading you to hold Christianity it self, but as an uncertain probable Opinion.
But as Gods foundation standeth sure, so we must be surely built on his foundation: He that believeth not the Essentials of Christianity as a certain necessary revelation of God, is not a Christian but an Infidel. And he that believeth not all that which he understandeth in the Word of God, believeth nothing on the credit of that Word. Indeed faith hath its weakness in those that are sincere; and they are fain to lament the remnants of unbelief, and cry, [Lord increase our faith: Help thou our unbelief:] But he that approveth of his Doubting, and would have it so, and thinks the revelation is uncertain, and such as will warrant no firmer a belief, I should scarcely say this man is a Christian. Christianity must be received as of Divine infallible revelation. But controversies about less necessary things cannot be determined peremptorily by the ignorant or young beginners, without hypocrisy, or a humane faith going under the name of a Divine. I am far from abating your Divine belief of all that you can understand in Scripture, and implicitly of all the rest in general. And I am far from diminishing the credit of any truth of God. But the Reasons of this Direction are these.