A26917:360
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.
3. But the seeming Christian can better take up with the world alone than with God alone: God is not so much missed by him as the world: He always breaks with Christ when it cometh to forsaking all: He is godly notionally and professedly, and therefore may easily say that God is his portion, and enough for those that put their trust in him: But his heart never consented truly to reduce these words to practise. When it comes to the trial, the praise or dispraise of man, and the prosperity or matters of the world, do signify more with him than the favour or displeasure of God; and can do more with ⟨p. 56⟩him. Christ and riches and esteem he could be content with; but he cannot away with a naked Christ alone. Therefore he is indeed a practical Atheist, even when he seemeth most religious: For if he had ever taken God for his God indeed, he had certainly taken him as his portion, felicity, and all: and therefore as enough for him without the creature. Luk. 18.23.
3. But the seeming Christian can better take up with the world alone than with God alone: God is not so much missed by him as the world: He alwayes breaks with Christ when it cometh to forsaking all: He is godly notionally and professedly, and therefore may easily say that God is his portion, and enough for those that put their trust in him: But his heart never consented truly to reduce these words to practise. When it comes to the trial, the praise or dispraise of man, and the prosperity or matters of the world, do signifie more with him than the favour or displeasure of God; and can do more with ⟨p. 56⟩him. Christ and riches and esteem he could be content with; but he cannot away with a naked Christ alone. Therefore he is indeed a practical Atheist, even when he seemeth most religious: For if he had ever taken God for his God indeed, he had certainly taken him as his portion, felicity, and all: and therefore as enough for him without the creature. Luk. 18.23.