A26892:7639
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.
2. If it be the same thing which is in the Scripture, we have it more certainly revealed already: Therefore the Revelation can be nothing but an assistance of the persons faith, or a call to obedience, or a reproof of some sin: which every man is to believe according as there is true evidence that indeed it is a Divine Revelation or Vision: which if it be not, the same thing is still sure to us in the Scripture.
3. If it be something that is only Besides the Scripture (as about events and facts or Prophecies of what will befall particular places or persons) we must first see whether the evidence of a Divine revelation be clear in it or not: And that is known, 1. To the person himself by the self-attesting and convincing power of a Divine Revelation, which no man knoweth but he that hath it (And we must be very cautelous lest we take false conceptions to be such.) But to himself and others it is known, 1. At present by clear uncontrolled Miracles, which are Gods attestation; which if men show, we are bound (in this case) to believe them. 2. For the Future, by the event, when things so plainly1 come to pass, as prove the prediction to be of God. He therefore that giveth you not by certain Miracles uncontrolled, a just proof that he is sent of God, is to be heard with a suspended belief; you must stay till the event show whether he say true or not: And not act any thing in the mean time, upon an unproved presumption either of the truth or falsehood of his words.
3. If it be something that is only Besides the Scripture (as about events and facts or Prophecies of what will befall particular places or persons) we must first see whether the evidence of a Divine revelation be clear in it or not: And that is known, 1. To the person himself by the self-attesting and convincing power of a Divine Revelation, which no man knoweth but he that hath it (And we must be very cautelous lest we take false conceptions to be such.) But to himself and others it is known, 1. At present by clear uncontrolled Miracles, which are Gods attestation; which if men shew, we are bound (in this case) to believe them. 2. For the Future, by the event, when things so plainly