A26871:169
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.
19. And who or what are you that would reason, mock or affright us from a life of obedience to God? Are you wiser than God, and dare you give him the lie, that we should believe you before him? Or are you better than God, that you can make a better choice for your selves and us? Are you more merciful than God, and would save us from some hurt that he would do us? Are you truer than God, and more to be believed? Are you greater than God, and more to be feared? Or are you not the most foolish, ignorant and damnably your selves ⟨p. 81⟩deluded by the Devil: And shall the words or mocks of such, drive us to forsake our Souls and God? Should we obey you and lie in Hell for it for ever, it would be no small part of the torment of our Consciences, to think that we came thither by regarding the threats or scorns of worms and fools before all the Word, and Love of God and our Redeemer.
20. And before we change our Obedience to God for another course, let us know what we shall change it for, and whether it be for something better: Hath your course made you better or happier than the faithful are? Do we not see and feel with sorrow, that the worldly, fleshly, ungodly sort, are in all Nations the Plagues of the Earth, and worse to mankind than Wolves and Serpents? They will not let the world live in peace; striving and fighting for dominion and mastership, and more of the world, they are like Dogs about their Carrion, worrying and tearing one another: They turn Man into a more odious creature than Swine or Toads, by filthy lusts, and horrid profaneness: They make their Countries worse than Bedlam, raving against that which the God of Heaven hath commanded and made necessary to Salvation. And are these such good and pleasant fruits as should entice us to change our master, work and hopes, for this, and worse that followeth it?
20. And before we change our Obedience to God for another course, let us know what we shall change it for, and whether it be for something better: Hath your course made you better or happier than the faithful are? Do we not see and feel with sorrow, that the worldly, fleshly, ungodly sort, are in all Nations the Plagues of the Earth, and worse to mankind than Wolves and Serpents? They will not let the world live in peace; striving and fighting for dominion and mastership, and more of the world, they are like Dogs about their Carrion, worrying and tearing one another: They turn Man into a more odious creature than Swine or Toads, by filthy lusts, and horrid prophaneness: They make their Countreys worse than Bedlam, raving against that which the God of Heaven hath commanded and made necessary to Salvation. And are these such good and pleasant fruits as should entice us to change our master, work and hopes, for this, and worse that followeth it?