A26870:230
A breviate of the life of Margaret, the daughter of Francis Charlton ... and…
A breviate of the life of Margaret, the daughter of Francis Charlton ... and wife of Richard Baxter ... : there is also published the character of her mother, truly described in her published funeral sermon, reprinted at her daughters request, called, The last work of a believer, his passing-prayer recommending his departing spirit to Christ, to be received by him.
London: printed for B. Simmons, 1681
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.
CHAP. X. Some Uses proposed to the Reader from this History, as the reasons why I wrote it.
CHAP. X. Some Vses proposed to the Reader from this History, as the reasons why I wrote it.
IF this Narrative be Useless to the Readers, it must needs be the sin of the publisher; for idle writing is worse than idle words: But I think it useful (with that which followeth) to all these ends to considering men.
§. 1. It may help to convince those that are inclined to Sadducism, or Infidelity, and believe not the testimony of the sanctifying spirit to the truth of the Word of God, but take holiness, as it differs from Heathen-morality, to be but fancy, hypocrisy, custom, or self-conceit: A man that never felt the working of Gods special Grace on his own heart, is hardly brought to believe that others have that which he never had himself. And this turneth usually to Diabolical malignity, inclining them to hate those, and revile or despise them as deluded proud Fanatic hypocrites, who pretend to be any better than ⟨p. 95⟩they are, or to have that which they take to be but a conceit: All their Religious thoughts they take for the Dreams of crazed, or proud persons; and their holy discourse, and Prayers, but for canting, or vain babbling. But acquaintance, if intimate with gracious persons, might convince them of their mortal error; and true History methinks may do much towards it.
§. 1. It may help to convince those that are inclined to Sadducism, or Infidelity, and believe not the testimony of the sanctifying spirit to the truth of the Word of God, but take holiness, as it differs from Heathen-morality, to be but fancy, hypocrisie, custom, or self-conceit: A man that never felt the working of Gods special Grace on his own heart, is hardly brought to believe that others have that which he never had himself. And this turneth usually to Diabolical malignity, inclining them to hate those, and revile or dispise them as deluded proud Fanatick hypocrites, who pretend to be any better than