A26903:99
Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity,…
Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity, physic, and law, III. the sons of magistrates and rich men / by Richard Baxter.Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity, physick, and law, III. the sons of magistrates and rich men / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by T.S., 1681
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.
Qu. 4. Hath not Nature taught you to love your selves? Surely you cannot be willing to be damned? Nor be indifferent whether you go to Heaven or Hell? And can you believe, that God would set you on that which would do you hurt, and that the Devil is your Friend, and would save you from him? Can you believe that to please your Throat and Lust till death snatch away your Souls to judgment, is more for your own good, than to live here in holiness and the love of God, and hereafter to▪ live for ever in Glory? Do you think you have lived as if you truly loved your selves, or as self destroyers? All the Devils in Hell, or Enemies on Earth, could never have done so much against you, as by your sensuality, ungodliness, and sloth, you have done against your selves. O poor sinner▪ as ever thou wouldst have mercy from God in thy extremity, be entreated to show some mercy on thy self!
Qu. 4. Hath not Nature taught you to love your selves? Surely you cannot be willing to be damned? Nor be indifferent whether you go to Heaven or Hell? And can you believe, that God would set you on that which would do you hurt, and that the Devil is your Friend, and would save you from him? Can you believe that to please your Throat and Lust till death snatch away your Souls to judgment, is more for your own good, than to live here in holiness and the love of God, and hereafter to▪ live for ever in Glory? Do you think you have lived as if you truly loved your selves, or as self destroyers? All the Devils in Hell, or Enemies on Earth, could never have done so much against you, as by your sensuality, ungodliness, and sloth, you have done against your selves. O poor sinner▪ as ever thou wouldst have mercy from God in thy extremity, be intreated to shew some mercy on thy self!
Qu. 5. Hath not Nature deeply taught all the World, to make a great difference between Virtue and Vice, between Moral good and evil? If the good and bad do not greatly differ, what makes all mankind, even the sons of pride, to be so impatient of being called or accounted bad? and love to be accounted wise and good? How tenderly do most men bear a reproof, or to hear that they do amiss? To be called a wicked man, a liar, a perjured man, a knave, how ill is it taken by all mankind? This certainly proveth that the Conscience of the great difference between the good and bad, is a common natural notice. And will not God make a greater difference, who better knoweth it than man?