A26917:191
Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…
Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace with motives opening the lamentable effects of their weaknesses and distempers / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1669
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.
DIRECT. IV.
My next advice to all young Christians for their Confirmation and Growth in Grace, is this.
Grow downwards in Humility; be low and small in your own eyes; and affect not to be high or great in the eyes of others; and still keep a deep apprehension of the greatness and danger of the sin of Pride; but specially of that called spiritual Pride.
IT is the Tree that hath the shallowest weakest rooting that most shaketh, and is soonest overthrown: The deeper roots, the higher growth, for the most part. The building ⟨p. 114⟩that hath not a deep foundation, is soonest shaken and overthrown. Christ is our Foundation; and Humiliation digs deep and lets him into the heart. Pride is commonly thought to be the Devils first or chiefest sin: Sure I am it is the Proud that fall into his condemnation. 1 Tim. 3.6. The Pride of our first Parents, affecting to be as Gods in knowledge, was the inlet of all our sin and misery: And the tempter still followeth the way that he hath found to be so successful. It is Pride that like a storm or tempest, doth set all the World in the rage and contention, and differences, and confusion, that we see them in. It is Pride that hath filled the Church with Divisions; and it's Pride that causeth the Apostasy of most that fall away. And the more men have of it, the less do they usually discern it in themselves: I am sure the less do they hate it and lament it. And though one would think that young beginners and weak Christians that have little to be proud of, should be out of the danger of this temptation, yet experience tells us that it's they that fall by it, more than the wiser and stronger Christians that have more to glory in. For the more men increase in Wisdom, the more do they know their own unworthiness, their emptiness, and ignorance and manifold sins: And the more do they know of the Holiness and jealousy of God; and the more do they know of the evil of sin, and see what abundance of knowledge and Grace they yet want. So that the more holy Wisdom and experience, the less pride. But folly is the Parent and Nurse of Pride. Children will be proud of toys and things of no value. There are two