A26951:503
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
Part 2 › Chapter 9: General Directions for exercising the Life of Faith.
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.
Direct. 2. Make it therefore your care and work to get Faith, and to use it; and think not that God must reveal his mind to you, as in visions, while you idly neglect your proper work. Believing is the first part of your trade of life; and the practice of it must be your constant business. It is not living ordinarily by sense, and looking when God will cast in the light of Faith extraordinarily, which is indeed the life of Faith: Nor is it seeming to stir up Faith in a Prayer or Sermon, and looking no more after it all the day: This is but to give God a salutation, and not to dwell and walk with him: And to give Heaven a complemental visit sometimes, but not to have your conversation there, 2 Cor. 5.7, 8.
Direct. 3. Be not too seldom in solitary meditation. Though it be a duty which melancholy persons are disabled to perform, in any set, and long, and orderly manner; yet it is so needful to those who are able, that the greatest works of Faith are to be managed by it. How should things unseen be apprehended so as to affect our hearts, without any serious exercise of our thoughts? How should we search into mysteries of the Gospel, or converse with God, or walk in Heaven, or fetch either joys or motives thence, without any retired studious contemplation? If you cannot meditate or think, you cannot believe. Meditation abstracteth the mind from vanity, and lifteth it up above the world, and setteth it about the work of Faith; which by a mindless, thoughtless, or worldly soul, can never be performed, 2 Cor. 4.16, 17, 18. Phil. 3.20. Mat. 6.21. Col. 3.1, 3.
Direct. 3. Be not too seldom in solitary meditation. Though it be a duty which melancholy persons are disabled to perform, in any set, and long, and orderly manner; yet it is so needful to those who are able, that the greatest works of Faith are to be managed by it. How should things unseen be apprehended so as to affect our hearts, without any serious exercise of our thoughts? How should we search into mysteries of the Gospel, or converse with God, or walk in Heaven, or fetch either joyes or motives thence, without any retired studious contemplation? If you cannot meditate or think, you cannot believe. Meditation abstracteth the mind from vanity, and lifteth it up above the world, and setteth it about the work of Faith; which by a mindless, thoughtless, or worldly soul, can never be performed,