A26879:942
The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their householdsThe catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds
The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their households : useful also to school-masters and tutors of youth : for those that are past the common small catechisms [sic], and would grow to a more rooted faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy comfortable and profitable life / written by Richard Baxter ...The catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds : useful also to school-masters and tutors of youth : for those that are past the common small chatechisms [sic], and would grow to a more rooted faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy comfortable and profitable life / written by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1683
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.
A. It is Holy Desires expressed or actuated to God, (with Heart alone, or also with the Tongue) including our penitent Confession of sin, and its Deserts, and our thankful acknowledgement of his Mercies, and our Praising God's works and his Perfections.
A. It is Holy Desires expressed or actuated to God, (with Heart alone, or also with the Tongue) including our penitent Confession of sin, and its Deserts, and our thankful acknowledgment of his Mercies, and our Praising God's works and his Perfections.
Q. 2. What is the Use of Prayer? Seeing God cannot be changed and moved by us, what good can it do us, and how can it attain our ends?
A. You may as wisely ask, what good any thing will do towards our Benefit or Salvation which we can do, seeing nothing changeth God. As God who is one, maketh Multitudes of Creatures; so God who is unchangeable maketh changeable Creatures; and the Effect is wrought by changing us, and not by changing God. You must understand these great Philosophical Truths, that, 1. All things effect according to the Capacity of the Receiver. 2. Therefore the various effects in the World proceed from the great variety of Receptive Capacities. The same Sun-beams do cause a Nettle, a Thorn, a Rose, a Cedar, according to the seminal Capacity of the various Receivers. The same Sun enlighteneth the Eye, that ⟨p. 174⟩doth not so by the Hand or Foot, or by a Tree, or Stone: And it shineth into the House whose Windows are open, which doth not so when the Windows are shut; and this without any change in it self. The Boatman layeth hold on the Bank, and pulls as if he would draw it to the Boat, when he doth but draw the Boat to it. Two ways Prayer procureth the Blessing without making any Change in God. First by our performing the condition on which God promiseth his Mercy. Secondly, By disposing our Souls to receive it. He that doth not penitently confess his sin, is unmeet for Pardon. And he that desireth not Christ and Mercy, is unmeet to be partaker of them. And he that is utterly unthankful for what he hath received, is unmeet for more.