A26951:1700
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.
It is the principal thing to be known for finding out the true method of Divinity and Religion, that (as in the great frame of Nature; so) in the frame of Morality, the true motion is circular: From […] the efficient by God, the Dirigent to God, the final Cause of all; therefore as God is the first spring or cause of motion; so the creature is the Recipient first, and the Agent after, in returning all to God again.
It is the principal thing to be known for finding out the true method of Divinity and Religion, that (as in the great frame of Nature; so) in the frame of Morality, the true motion is circular: From 〈…〉 the efficient by God, the Dirigent to God, the final Cause of all; therefore as God is the first spring or cause of motion; so the creature is the Recipient first, and the Agent after, in returning all to God again.
Therefore mark, that our receiving Graces are our first graces in exercise; and our receiving duties are our first duties; and then our returning graces and duties come next; in which we proceed from the lesser to the greater, till we come up to God himself.
Therefore in point of practice, the first thing that we have to do, is to learn to know God himself as God and our God, and to live as from him, and upon him as our Benefactor, from our hearts confessing that we have nothing but from him, and shall never be at rest but with him, and in him, as our ultimate end; and therefore to set our selves to seek him as our end accordingly; which is but to seek to love him, and be beloved by him, in the perfection of knowledge and delight.
Therefore in point of practice, the first thing that we have to do, is to learn to know God himself as God and our God, and to live as from him, and upon him as our Benefactor, from our hearts confessing that we have nothing but from him, and shall never be at rest but with him, and in him, as our ultimate end; and therefore to set our selves to seek him as our end accordingly; which is but to seek to love him, and be beloved by him, in the perfection of knowledge and dlight.