A26892:646
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.
§. 3. Supposing what I have said of this subject in my Directions for a sound Conversion, Dir. 5. (which I hope the Reader will peruse) I shall here briefly name the Uses which we must make of Christ by faith, in order to our holy converse with God: But I must tell you that it is a Doctrine1 which requireth a prepared heart, that hath life within to enable it to relish holy truth, and to dispose it to diligence▪ delight and constancy in practice. A senseless Reader will feel but little savour in it, and a sluggish Reader that suffereth it to dye as soon as it hath touched his ears or fantasy, will fall short of the practice and the pleasure of this life. He must have faith that will live by faith: And he must have the heart and nature of a child, that will take pleasure in loving, reverent and obedient converse with a Father.
§. 3. Supposing what I have said of this subject in my Directions for a sound Conversion, Dir. 5. (which I hope the Reader will peruse) I shall here briefly name the Uses which we must make of Christ by faith, in order to our holy converse with God: But I must tell you that it is a Doctrine1 which requireth a prepared heart, that hath life within to enable it to relish holy truth, and to dispose it to diligence▪ delight and constancy in practice. A senseless Reader will feel but little savour in it, and a sluggish Reader that suffereth it to dye as soon as it hath toucht his ears or fantasie, will fall short of the practice and the pleasure of this life. He must have faith that will live by faith: And he must have the heart and nature of a child, that will take pleasure in loving, reverent and obedient converse with a Father.
- 1•an• omnium v•r••••um radix & •und• m••rum fides ; quae certance adjuvat, Vnns c ront, & c lessi dono quosdam de[…] signoum […]: Nihil enim quod sincerae fidei denegtur, quia nec aiud nobis Deu, quam fidem exigit: Hanc dgit, han requirit, huic nta promitut & tribur. S. […] Mrt A. Tot. Memd Sanct. p. 4. Notandum, quod cum fides moriva t praeter opera jam nque fides est: Nam neque hmo mortutis, homo est.—Non enm sicu: spiritum opore meliorem, ita ra fde pra[…]da um, quando gratia salvatur homo, non ex of eribus sed ex fide: nisi fore & hc in questiore sit, quod salve: fides quae cum ori us proprii vt; tanquam a jud genus operum sit, praeter quae salus ex fide prevent: we autem sunt opera quae sub umbra […] beanu. Dinus Alexand. in