A26892:6934
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.
Quest. 97. Must no man come to the Sacrament, that is uncertain or doubtful of the sincerity of his faith and repentance?
Answ. 1. HE that is sure of his unsoundness and hypocrisy should not come.
Answ. 1. HE that is sure of his unsoundness and hypocrisie should not come.
2. He that upon trial is not sure, but yet as far as he can understand his own 1heart and life, doth judge himself an Impenitent hypocrite, should use other means to know himself certainly, and fuller to Repent before he cometh. And though some melancholy and timorous persons be falsely persuaded that they are Impenitent, yet it is better that such forbear the Sacrament, while they use other means for their better acquaintance with themselves, than that all the hypocrites and wicked impenitent people be told that it is their duty to come, if they can but make themselves uncertain whether they be impenitent or not.
2. He that upon tryal is not sure, but yet as far as he can understand his own 1heart and life, doth judge himself an Impenitent hypocrite, should use other means to know himself certainly, and fullier to Repent before he cometh. And though some melancholy and timerous persons be falsly perswaded that they are Impenitent, yet it is better that such forbear the Sacrament, while they use other means for their better acquaintance with themselves, than that all the hypocrites and wicked impenitent people be told that it is their duty to come, if they can but make themselves uncertain whether they be impenitent or not.