A26892:337
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
and yet wilt thou sleep, in the thickest of thy foes? Is the battle a sleeping time, or thy race a sleeping time, when Heaven or Hell must be the End? While he can keep thee asleep, the Devil can do almost what he li•t with thee. He knows that thou hast now no use of thy eyes, or understanding, or power to resist him: The Learnedst Doctor in his sleep is as unlearned actually as an Idiot, and will dispute no better than an unlearned man: This makes many learned men to be ungodly: they are asleep in sin. The Devil could never have made such a drudge of thee, to do his work against Christ and thy soul, if thou hadst been awake. Thou wouldst never have followed his whistle to the Ale-house, the Play-house, the Gaming-house, and to other sins, if thou hadst been in thy wits and well awake. Read Prov. 7. 23. 24. I cannot believe that thou longest to be damned, or so hatest thy self, as to have done as thou hast done, to have a lived Godless, a Graceless, a Prayerless, and yet a merry careless life, if thy eyes had been opened, and thou hadst known and feelingly known, that this was the way to Hell. Nature it self will hardly go to Hell ⟨p. 27⟩awake. But it's easy to abuse a man that is asleep: Thou hast Reason; but didst thou ever awake it to one hours serious Consideration, of thy endless state and present case? O dreadful judgement to be given over to the Spirit of slumber! Rom. 11. 8. Is it not high time now to awake out of sleep? Rom. 13. 11. When the light is arisen and shines about thee! When others that care for their souls, are busily at work! When thou hast slept out so much precious time already! Many a mercy, and perhaps some Ministers, have been as Candles burnt out to light thee while thou hast slept! How o•t hast thou been called already, How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? Prov. 6. 9. 10. Yet thou hast thundering calls and allarums to awake thee. God calls, and Ministers call! Mercies call, and judgements call! and yet wilt thou not awake? The voice of the Lord is powerful: full of Majesty; breaketh the Cedars; shaketh the Wilderness: and yet cannot it awake thee? Thou wilt not sleep about far smaller matters! at meat, or drink, or in common talk, or Market: But O how much greater business hast thou to keep thee awake? Thou hast yet an unholy soul to be renewed; an ungodly life to be reformed! an offended God to be reconciled to;