A26871:152
Cain and Abel malignity that is, enmity to serious godliness, that is, to an…
Cain and Abel malignity that is, enmity to serious godliness, that is, to an holy and heavenly state of heart and life : lamented, described, detected, and unanswerably [sic] proved to be the devilish nature, and the militia of the devil against God and Christ and the church and kingdoms, and the surest sign of a state of damnation / by Richard Baxter, or, Gildas Salvianus ...Cain and Abel malignity that is, enmity to serious godliness, that is, to an holy and heavenly state of heart and life : lamented, described, detected, and unananswerably [sic] proved to be the devilish nature, and the militia of the devil against God and Christ and the church and kingdoms, and the surest sign of a state of damnation / by Richard Baxter, or, Gildas Salvianus ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1689
Chapter 3: Undeniable Reasons against Malignant Enmity to serious Godliness.
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.
5. Have you any better Master to serve than God? or any better work to do than he commandeth, or any better thing to seek and hope for than he hath promised? If not, should not the best be preferred. What do you love and seek your selves? Is money or fleshly pleasure better than God and Heaven? Is Sin and Sensuality a better employment than his Service? Is your flesh and lust a better master? Compare them, and we are content that the best be preferred.
6. Why do you take on you to believe in Christ, if you be against holiness, and for sin? Christ came into the world to die for sin, to show Gods hatred of it: And would you have us wilfully to commit it, and to despise his Blood? He came to destroy the works of the Devil; and will you plead for them? He came by his Doctrine, example and grace to bring man to holy obedience: And do you hate men for the same, and yet call your selves Christians?
6. Why do you take on you to believe in Christ, if you be against holiness, and for sin? Christ came into the world to die for sin, to shew Gods hatred of it: And would you have us wilfully to commit it, and to despise his Blood? He came to destroy the works of the Devil; and will you plead for them? He came by his Doctrine, example and grace to bring man to holy obedience: And do you hate men for the same, and yet call your selves Christians?
7. How dangerously do you draw towards the sin against the Holy-Ghost, if you hate or blame men for being holy, or seeking to be such; when it is all the work of the Holy-Ghost on mens Souls to make them holy? It's a dangerous thing to hate the work of the Holy-Ghost; and as it were defy him, and do despite to him.