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.

THE PREFACE.

Reader,

1. IF it offend thee, that the Parts of this Treatise are so unlike, understand 1. That they are for various uses: The first Part to make men willing, by awa∣kening perswasions; and the rest, to direct them in the exercises of Faith, who are first made willing. 2. That I write not to win thy praise of an artificial comely Structure; but to help souls to Holiness and Heaven; and to these ends I labour to suit the means. 3. That the first Sermon was published long ago; and

the Bookseller desiring me to give him some ad∣ditions to it, I thought meet first to make up the exciting part in the same style, and then to add a Directory for the practice of judicious Believers.

2. And if it offend thee that the second Part containeth but such matter as I have already published, in my Reasons of the Christian Re∣ligion, understand 1. That I perceived that that Treatise was neglected by the more unlearned sort of Christians, as not descending enough to their capa∣cities; and that it would be useful to the confir∣mation of their Faith, to draw forth some of the most obvious Arguments, in as plain a manner, and as briefly as I could, that length nor obscu∣rity might not deprive them of the benefit, who are too slothfull, or too dull, to make use of more copious and accurate discourse. 2. And I knew not how to write a Treatise of the Uses of Faith, which should wholly leave out the Confirmations of Faith, without much reluctancy of my Reason.

3. And again, I say, I can bear the dispraise of Repetition, if I may but further mens Faith and Salvation.

3. And if it offend thee that I am so dull in all the Directive part, I cannot well do both works at once, awaken the Affections, and accu∣rately

direct the mind for practice▪ Or at least if I had spoken all those Directions in a copious applica∣tory Sermon style, it would have swelled the Book to a very tedious costly volume: And Affection must not too much interpose, when the Judgment is about its proper work. And being done in the be∣ginning, it may be the better spared afterward.

4. If it offend you that I open the Life of Faith in somewhat an unusual manner, I answer for my self, that if it be Methodical, true and apt for use, I do that which I intend: And on a subject so frequently and fully handled, it were but an injury to the Church, to say but the same which is said already: Mr. John Ball, Mr. Ezekiel Culverwell, and Mr. Samuel Ward in a narrower room have done exceeding well upon this subject. If you have nothing more than they have said, read their Books only, and let this alone.

5. If it offend you that the Directions are many of them difficult, and the style requireth a slow conside∣rate Reader, I answer, the nature of the subject re∣quireth it; and without voluminous tediousness, it cannot be avoided. Blame therefore your unprepared ignorant minds; and while you are yet dull of hear∣ing, and so make things hard to be uttered to your understanding, because you have still need of Milk, and cannot digest strong meat: but must again

be taught the principles of the oracles of God, (Heb. 5.11, 12, 13, 14.) think not to g••t knowledge without hard study, and patient learning, by hearing nothing but what you know already, or can understand by one hasty reading over; lest you discover a con∣junction of slothfulness with an ignorant and unhumbled mind: Or at least, if you must learn at so cheap a rate, or else stick still in your Milk and your Beginnings, be not offended if others out∣go you, and think knowledge worthy of much greater diligence; and if leaving the principles we go on towards perfection, as long as we take them along with us, and make them the life of all that followeth, while we seem to leave them: And this we will do, if God permit, Heb. 6.1, 3.

R. B.

Feb. 3. 1669.