A26892:649
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.
But Christ hath declared what he saw, and what he knew beyond all possibility of mistake. And lest his own testimony should seem questionable to us, he hath confirmed it by a life of Miracles, and by Rising from the dead himself, and ascending visibly to Heaven, and by the Holy Ghost, and his miraculous gifts which he gave to the Messengers of his Gospel. Had it been no more than his Resurrection from the dead, it had been enough to prove the utter unreasonableness of unbelief.
§. 5. 2. It is also a great impediment to the soul in its approach to God, that Infinite distance disableth us to conceive of him aright: We say as Elihu, Job 36. 26. Behold, God is great, and we know him not. And indeed it is impossible that mortal man should have any adequate apprehensions of his Fssence. But in his Son he hath come down to us, and showed himself in the clearest Glass that ever did reveal him: Think of him therefore as he appeared in our flesh: As he showed himself in his Holiness and Goodness to the world. You may have positive thoughts of Jesus Christ: Though you may not think that the Godhead was flesh, yet may you think of it as it appeared in flesh. It may quiet the understanding to conceive of God as incarnate, and to know that we cannot yet know him as he is, or have any adequate conceptions of him: These may delight us till we reach to more.
§. 5. 2. It is also a great impediment to the soul in its approach to God, that Infinite distance disableth us to conceive of him aright: We say as Elihu, Job 36. 26. Behold, God is great, and we know him not. And indeed it is impossible that mortal man should have any adequate apprehensions of his Fssence. But in his Son he hath come down to us, and shewed himself in the clearest Glass that ever did reveal him: Think of him therefore as he appeared in our flesh: As he shewed himself in his Holiness and Goodness to the world. You may have positive thoughts of Iesus Christ: Though you may not think that the Godhead was flesh, yet may you think of it as it appeared in flesh. It may quiet the understanding to conceive of God as incarnate, and to know that we cannot yet know him as he is, or have any adequate conceptions of him: These may delight us till we reach to more.