A26892:745
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.
§. 22. Direct. 9. Be m•st suspicious, fearful and watchful about that, which your flesh doth most desire, 1•• finds the greatest pleasure in. Not that you should deny your bodies all delight in the mercies of God: If the body have none, the mind will have the less: Mercy must be differenced from punishment; and must be valued, and relished as mercy: Mere Natural pleasing of the senses is in it self no m•ral good or evil. A holy improvement of lawful pleasure, is a daily duty: Inordinate pleasure is a sin: All is inordinate which tendeth more to corrupt the soul, by enticing it to sin, and turning it from God, than to •it and dispose it for God and his service, and preserve it from sinning. But still remember, it is not sorrow; but Delight that draweth away the soul from God, and is the fleshes interest which it sets up against him. Many have sinned in sorrows and discontents: but none ever sinned f•r sorrows and discontents: Their discontents and sorrows are not taken up and loved for themselves; but are the effects of their love to some pleasure and content, which is denied them, or taken from them. Therefore though all your bodily pleasures are not sin, yet seeing nothing but the pleasures of the flesh and carnal mind is the End of sinners, and the Devils great and chiefest bait, and this only causeth mens perdition, you have great reason to be most afraid of that which is most pleasing to your flesh, and to the mind as it is corrupt and carnal: escape the delusions of fleshly pleasure, and you escape damnation: You have far more cause to be afraid of prosperity, than of adversity; of riches, than of poverty, of honour, than of obscurity and contempt; of mens praises and applause, than of their dispr••ses▪ slanders and rep••••h▪ of preferment and greatness, than of a low and mean condition; of a ⟨p. 89⟩delicious, than of l•ss tempting meats and drinks; of curious, costly, than of mean, and cheap, and plain attire. Let those that have hired out their reason to the service of their fleshly lusts, and have delivered the Crown and Septer to their appetites, think otherwise.