THE

Practical Works

of

The Rev. Richard Baxter:

with

A Life of the Author

and

A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF HIS WRITINGS

by the

Rev. William Orme

author of “the life of john owen, d.d.;” “bibliotheca biblica,” etc.

In Twenty-Three Volumes

Vol. XV.

London:

James Duncan, 37, Paternoster Row

MDCCCXXX.

The

Practical Works

of the

Rev. Richard Baxter.

———————

Volume XV.

containing

Knowledge And Love Compared; Compassionate Counsel to All Young Men; A Moral Prognostication; the reformed liturgy; Mr. baxter’s sense of the articles of the church of england; reasons for ministers using the greatest plainness in their applications to their people; directions to justices of peace.

Contents

of

The Fifteenth Volume

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Knowledge and Love Compared

Epistle Dedicatory

To the Reader

Part I

Falsely Pretended Knowledge

Chapter I. The Text opened: What philosophy Paul depresseth, and why

II. What wisdom and esteem of it are not here condemned

III. What pretended knowledge is condemned, and what learning or philosophy it is which Paul disliked, further opened; with thirty reasons

IV. What are the certainties which must be known and held fast, and why, where certainty is distinctly described

V. Of the various degrees of certainty

VI. What are the unknown things or uncertainties, which we must not pretend a certain knowledge of, even Scripture truths

VII. The first inference: The true reason and usefulness of the Christian simplicity, in differencing the covenant and the principles of religion from the rest of the Holy Scriptures

VIII. Inference 2. Of the use of catechising

IX. Inference 3. The true preservative of puzzled Christians, from the errors of false teachers, who draw them to their several parties

X. Inference 4. What is the great plague and divider of the Christian world

XI. The common discoveries of men’s proud, self-conceited understanding, and of pretended knowledge

XII. Of the mischievous effects of this proud pretence of more knowledge than men have

XIII. The commodities of a suspended judgment and humble understanding, which pretendeth to no more knowledge or certainty than it hath

XIV. The aggravations of the sin of prefidence

XV. Special aggravations of it in students and pastors

XVI. Twenty clear proofs of the little knowledge that is in the world, to move us to a due distrust of our understandings

XVII. Inference 5. It is not the dishonour, but the praise of Christ and his Apostles, and the Gospel, that they speak in a plain style and manner, of the certain necessary things, without the vanity of school-uncertainty, and unprofitable notions

XVIII. Inference 6. The true and false ways of restoring the churches, and healing our divisions, hence opened and made plain

XIX. Of the causes of prefidence or proud pretended knowledge, in order to the cure

XX. Objections answered

XXI. Directions for the cure

Part II

True Saving Knowledge

Chapter I. Knowledge is a means to a higher end, according to which it is to be estimated

II. The end of knowledge is to make ...