A26951:270
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.
9. Therefore you must be sure to distinguish the Christian Religion, which is the vital part or kernel of the Scriptures, from all the rest: And to get well planted in your mind, the sum of that Religion it self. And that is briefly contained in the two Sacraments, and more largely in the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and the Decalogue, the summaries of our Belief, Desire and Practice. And then wonder no more that the other parts of Scripture, have some things of less moment, than that a man hath fingers, nails and hair, as well as a stomach, heart and head.
9. Therefore you must be sure to distinguish the Christian Religion, which is the vital part or kernel of the Scriptures, from all the rest: And to get well planted in your mind, the summ of that Religion it self. And that is briefly contained in the two Sacraments, and more largely in the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and the Decalogue, the summaryes of our Belief, Desire and Practice. And then wonder no more that the other parts of Scripture, have some things of less moment, than that a man hath fingers, nails and hair, as well as a stomach, heart and head.
10. Distinguish therefore between the Method of the Christian Religion, and the Method of the particular Books of Scriptures. The Books were written on several occasions, and in ⟨p. 91⟩several Methods; and though that method of them all, be perfect, in order to their proper end; yet is it not necessary that there be in the Method no humane imperfection, or that one or all of them, be written in that method which is usually most logical, and best. But the frame of Religion contained in those Books, is composed in the most perfect method in the world. And those systems of Theology which endeavour to open this method to you, do not feign it, or make it of themselves; but only attempt the explication of what they find in the holy Scriptures, Synthetically or Analytically: (Though indeed all attempts have yet fallen short of any full explication of this divine and perfect harmony.)