A26917:289
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.
THE CHARACTER OF 1 A Sound Confirmed Christian, 2 And of the Weak C… › The Characters.
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.
The Characters.
I. A CHRISTIAN INDEED, (by which I still mean, a sound confirmed Christian) is one that contenteth not himself to have a seed or Habit of Faith, but he Liveth by Faith, as the Sensualist liveth by sight or sense: Not putting out the eye of sense, nor living as if he had no Body, nor lived not in a world of sensible Objects; But as he is a Reasonable creature; which exalteth him above the sensitive Nature, so Faith is the true information of his Reason, about those high and excellent things, which must take him up above things sensible. He hath so firm a Belief of the Life to come, as procured by Christ, and promised in the Gospel, as that it serveth ⟨p. 7⟩him for the Government of his Soul, as his bodily sight doth for the conduct of his Body. I say not, that he is assaulted with no temptations, nor that his Faith is perfect in degree, nor that believing moveth him as passionately as sight or sense would do: But it doth effectually move him through the course and tenor of his life, to do those things for the life to come, which he would do if he saw the Glory of Heaven; and to shun those things for the avoiding of damnation, which he would shun, if he saw the flames of Hell. Whether he do these things so fervently or not, his Belief is powerful, effectual and victorious. Let sight and sense invite him to their Objects, and entice him to sin, and forsake his God, the objects of Faith shall prevail against them, in the bent of an even, a constant and resolved life. It is things unseen which he taketh for his treasure, and which have his heart and hope, and chiefest labours. All things else which he hath to do, are but subservient to his Faith and Heavenly interest, as his sensitive faculties are ruled by his Reason. His Faith is not only his Opinion, which teacheth him to choose what Church or Party he will be of; but it is his Intellectual Light; by which he liveth, and in the confidence and comfort of which he dyeth,