A26951:513
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.
Therefore make this your great and principal use of your Faith, to receive all the expressions of Gods Love in Christ, and thereby to kindle in you a love to God; that first the ⟨p. 154⟩special true belief of Gods more common love and grace, may kindle in you a special love, and then the sense of this may assure you of your special interest in Christ; and then the assurance of that special interest, may increase your love to a much higher degree: And thus live by Faith in the work of Love.
Direct. 7. That you may understand what that Faith is which you must live by, take in all the parts (at least that are essential to it) in your description; and take not some parcels of it for the Christian Faith; nor think no• that it must needs be several sorts of Faith, if it have several objects; and hearken not to that dull Philosophical subtlety, which would persuade you that Faith is but some single physical act of the soul.
Direct. 7. That you may understand what that Faith is which you must live by, take in all the parts (at least that are essential to it) in your description; and take not some parcels of it for the Christian Faith; nor think no• that it must needs be several sorts of Faith, if it have several objects; and hearken not to that dull Philosophical subtilty, which would perswade you that Faith is but some single physical act of the soul.
1. If you know not what Faith is, it must needs be a great hinderance to you, in the seeking of it, the trying it, and the using it. For though one may use his natural faculties, which work by natural inclination and necessity, without knowing what they are; yet it is not so where the choice of the rational appetite is necessary; for it must be guided by the reasoning faculty. And though unlearned persons may have and use Repentance, Faith, and other graces, who cannot define them; yet they do truly (though not perfectly) know the thing it self, though they know not the terms of a just definition: and all defect of knowing the true nature of Faith, will be some hinderance to us in using it.