A26917:337
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. The weak Christian hath the same estimation and resolution: But when it comes to practice, as his will is less confirmed and more corrupted and divided, so little impediments and difficulties are great temptations to him, and stop him more in the way of his obedience. All his duty is much more tedious to him, and all his sufferings are much ⟨p. 37⟩more burdensome to him, than to confirmed Christians: And therefore he is easier tempted into omissions and impatience, and walketh not so evenly, or comfortably with God. When the spirit is willing, it yieldeth oft to the weakness of the flesh, because it is willing in too remiss a degree. Mat. 26.41. Gal. 2.14.
2. The weak Christian hath the same estimation and resolution: But when it comes to practice, as his will is less confirmed and more corrupted and divided, so little impediments and difficulties are great temptations to him, and stop him more in the way of his obedience. All his duty is much more tedious to him, and all his sufferings are much ⟨p. 37⟩more burthensome to him, than to confirmed Christians: And therefore he is easier tempted into omissions and impatiency, and walketh not so evenly, or comfortably with God. When the spirit is willing, it yieldeth oft to the weakness of the flesh, because it is willing in too remiss a degree. Mat. 26.41. Gal. 2.14.
3. But the seeming Christian (though notionally and generally he may approve of strictness) yet secretly at the heart hath always this reserve, that he will not serve God at too dear a rate. His worldly felicity he cannot part with, for all the hopes of the life to come: And yet he will not, he dare not renounce and give up those hopes: And therefore he maketh himself a Religion of the easiest and cheapest parts of Christianity, (among which sometimes the strictest opinions may fall out to be one part, so be it they be separated from the strictest practice:) And this easy cheap Religion he will needs believe to be true Christianity and Godliness; and so will hope to be saved upon these terms: And though he cannot but know that it is the certain character of a hypocrite, to have any thing nearer and dearer to his heart than God, yet he hopeth that it is not so with him, because his convinced judgement can say that God is best and the world is vanity, while yet his heart and affections so much contradict his opinion, as almost to say: There is no God: For his heart knoweth and loveth no God as God, that is, above his worldly happiness. He is resolved to do so much in religion as he findeth necessary to delude his conscience, and make himself believe that he is godly and shall be saved: but when he cometh to forsake all and take up