A26917:330
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.
2. And for the weak Christian, though he is habitually and resolvedly of the same mind, yet alas his desires after perfection are much more languid in him: And he hath too much patience and reconciledness to some of his sins; and sometimes taketh them to be sweet: So that his enmity to his Pride, or Covetousness, or passion is much abated, and suffereth his sin to wast his grace and wound his conscience, and hinder much of his communion with God. He seeth not the odiousness of sin, nor the beauty of Holiness with so clear a fight as the confirmed Christian doth. He hateth sin more for the ill effects of it, than for its malignant hateful nature. He seeth not clearly the intrinsic evil that is in sin, which maketh ⟨p. 32⟩it deserve the pains of hell. Nor doth he discern the difference between a holy and an unholy soul, so clearly as the stronger Christian doth. 1 Cor. 3.2, 3. Heb. 12.1.
2. And for the weak Christian, though he is habitually and resolvedly of the same mind, yet alas his desires after perfection are much more languid in him: And he hath too much patience and reconciledness to some of his sins; and sometimes taketh them to be sweet: So that his enmity to his Pride, or Coveteousness, or passion is much abated, and suffereth his sin to wast his grace and wound his conscience, and hinder much of his communion with God. He seeth not the odiousness of sin, nor the beauty of Holiness with so clear a fight as the confirmed Christian doth. He hateth sin more for the ill effects of it, than for its malignant hateful nature. He seeth not clearly the intrinsick evil that is in sin, which maketh ⟨p. 32⟩it deserve the pains of hell. Nor doth he discern the difference between a holy and an unholy soul, so clearly as the stronger Christian doth. 1 Cor. 3.2, 3. Heb. 12.1.