A26951:1514
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1670
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.
Ans. Thus the Devil would excuse sinners, and accuse God. Thus you may put by all Gods commands, and say, God should not have commanded them to repent, believe, love him, obey him, nor love one another, nor forbear their sins; for they have no ability to do it. But they have their natural faculties, or powers, and they have common grace; and Gods way of giving them special grace, is by meeting them in the use of his appointed means; and not by meeting them in an Ale-house, or in sinful courses. (However a soul may be met with in his persecuting, and God may be found of them that sought him not; yet that is not his usual, nor his appointed way.) Can any man of reason dream that it is not the duty of a wicked man to use any means for the obtaining of grace, or to be better; nor to do any thing towards his own recovery and salvation? Nature and Scripture teach men as soon as they see their sin and misery, to say, What must I do to be saved? As the re••nting Jews, and Paul, and the Jailer […] ▪ Acts 2.37. & Acts 8. & 16.
Ans. Thus the Devil would excuse sinners, and accuse God. Thus you may put by all Gods commands, and say, God should not have commanded them to repent, believe, love him, obey him, nor love one another, nor forbear their sins; for they have no ability to do it. But they have their natural faculties, or powers, and they have common grace; and Gods way of giving them special grace, is by meeting them in the use of his appointed means; and not by meeting them in an Ale-house, or in sinful courses. (However a soul may be met with in his persecuting, and God may be found of them that sought him not; yet that is not his usual, nor his appointed way.) Can any man of reason dream that it is not the duty of a wicked man to use any means for the obtaining of grace, or to be better; nor to do any thing towards his own recovery and salvation? Nature and Scripture teach men as soon as they see their sin and misery, to say, What must I do to be saved? As the re••nting Jews, and Paul, and the Jaylor 〈…〉 ▪ Acts 2.37