A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian EthicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
For though reason of itself may do something in these
acts, yet so averse is man to all that is holy, and so many are the
difficulties and hinderances in the way, that to the effectual
performance, the help of the Spirit of God is necessary.
By this enumeration of the Spirit's operations, you may see the errors
of many detected, and many common questions answered. 1. You may see
their blindness, that pretend the Spirit within them, against
Scripture, ministry, or the use of God's appointed means: when the
same Spirit first indited the Scripture, and maketh it the instrument
to illuminate and sanctify our souls. God's image is, (1.) Primarily,
in Jesus Christ his Son. (2.) Derivatively, by his Spirit, imprinted
perfectly in the Holy Scriptures. (3.) And by the Scripture, or the
holy doctrine of it, instrumentally impressed on the soul. So that the
image of God in Christ, is the cause of his image in his holy word or
doctrine, and his image in his word, is the cause of his image on the
heart. So a king may have his image, (1.) Naturally, on his son, who
is like his father. (2.) Expressively, in his laws, which express his
wisdom, clemency, and justice. (3.) And effectively, on his subjects
and servants, who are by his laws reduced to a conformity to his mind.
As a man may first cut his arms or image on his seal, and then by that
seal imprint it on the wax; and though it be perfectly cut on the
seal, it may be imperfectly printed on the wax; so God's image is
naturally perfect in his Son, and regularly or expressively perfect on
the seal of his holy doctrine and laws; but imperfectly on his
subjects, according to their reception of it in their several degrees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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