A27009:140
The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…
The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32 directions : written for the use of a troubled friend / and now published by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for T. Underhil, 1653
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.
DIRECTION IX.
9. Having thus far proceeded, in discovering and improving the General Grounds of Comfort, and then in discovering the Nature of Faith, which gives you Right to the special Mercies of the Covenant, following it; Your next work must be, To perform this Condition by actual Believing.
Your soul stands in extreme need of a Saviour: God offereth you a Saviour in the Gospel, what then have you next to do, but Accept him? Believe that this offer is general, and therefore to you: and that ⟨p. 56⟩Christ is not set to sale, nor doth God require you to bring a Price in your hand: but only heartily and thankfully to Accept of what he freely giveth you. This must be done before you fall on trying your Graces to get Assurance: for you must have Grace, before you can discover it: and this is the first proper special saving Grace (as it compriseth that knowledge and Assent which necessarily go before it.) This is not only the method for those that yet never believed, but also for them that have lost the sense of their faith, and so the sight of their evidence. Believe again, that you may know you do believe; or at least may possess an Accepted Saviour. When God in the Gospel bids you, Take Jesus Christ, and beseecheth you to be reconciled to him; what will you say to him? If your heart answer, Lord I am willing, I will Accept of Christ and be thankful; why, then the match is made between Christ and you: and the marriage Covenant is truly entered, which none can dissolve. If Christ were not first willing, he would not be the suitor and make the motion: and if he be willing, and you be willing, what can break the match? If you will say, I cannot believe, if you understand what you say, either you mean that you cannot believe the Gospel is true; or else that