A26892:680
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.
§. 8. 2. You may here discern also, how the Spirit assureth and comforteth believers: and how palpably they err, that think the Spirit comforteth, or assureth us of our salvation without the use of its Evidencing grace. The ten things mentioned, §. 4. is all that the Spirit doth herein. But to expect his Comforts without any measure of discerning his graces, which can only rationally prove our right to the blessings of the Promise, this is to expect that he should comfort a Rational Creature not as Rational, but darkly cause him to rejoice he knoweth not why: and that he should make no use of faith to our comfort: For faith resteth understandingly upon the Promise, and expecteth the performance of it to those that it is made to, and not to others. Indeed there is a common encouragement and comfort, which all men, even the worst may take from the universal conditional Promise; ⟨p. 79⟩and there is much abatement of our fears and troubles that may be fetched from probabilities and uncertain hopes of our own sincerity and interest in the Promise. But to expect any other assurance or comfort from the Spirit, without Evidence, is but to expect immediate revelations or inspirations to do the work, which the Word of promise and faith should do. The souls Consent to the Covenant of 1Grace, and fiducial Acceptance of an offered Christ, is justifying sa•ing faith: Every man hath an object in the Promise and offer of the Gospel for this act, and therefore may rationally perform it. (Though all have not hearts to do it) This may well be called, Faith of adherence: and is it self our evidence, from which we must conclude, that we are true Believers: The discerning of this Evidence called by some, the Reflex act of faith, is no act of faith at all, it being no believing of another, but the act of Conscience knowing what is in our selves. The discerning and concluding that we are the children of God, participateth of faith and conscientious knowledge, which gave us the premises of such a conclusion.
§. 8. 2. You may here discern also, how the Spirit assureth and comforteth believers: and how palpably they err, that think the Spirit comforteth, or assureth us of our salvation without the use of its Evidencing grace. The ten things mentioned, §. 4. is all that the Spirit doth herein. But to expect his Comforts without any measure of discerning his graces, which can only rationally prove our right to the blessings of the Promise, this is to expect that he should comfort a Rational Creature not as Rational, but darkly cause him to rejoyce he knoweth not why: and that he should make no use of faith to our comfort: For faith resteth understandingly upon the Promise, and expecteth the performance of it to those that it is made to, and not to others. Indeed there is a common encouragement and comfort, which all men, even the worst may take from the universal conditional Promise;