A26870:232
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.
§. 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 ⟨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 babling. But acquaintance, if intimate with gracious persons, might convince them of their mortal error; and true History methinks may do much towards it.
§. 2. I confess, with thanks to God, that having these Forty years found that all our holiness and comfort depends upon our certain persuasion of the life of Retribution following, and that our certainty of this depends upon our certain belief of the Holy Scriptures; and we being here in the dark, and too apt to doubt of all that we see not, there are several sensible, or experienced present certainties, which have been a great succour to my Faith, to save me from temptations to unbelief and doubting, and confirm my assurance that the Scripture is Gods Word.