A26917:399
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. But the weak Christian, though he have every Grace, and his Obedience is universal, yet can he hardly set himself to any duty, but it hindereth him from some other duty, through the narrowness and weakness of his mind. When he is humbling himself in confession of sin, he can scarce be lively in thankfulness for mercy: When he rejoiceth it hindereth his humiliation. He can hardly do one duty without omitting or hindering another. He is either all for joy, or all for sorrow; all for love or all for fear; and cannot well do many things at once, but is apt to separate the Truths and Duties which God hath inseparably conjoined.
2. But the weak Christian, though he have every Grace, and his Obedience is universal, yet can he hardly set himself to any duty, but it hindereth him from some other duty, through the narrowness and weakness of his mind. When he is humbling himself in confession of sin, he can scarce be lively in thankfulness for mercy: When he rejoyceth it hindereth his humiliation. He can hardly do one duty without omitting or hindering another. He is either all for joy, or all for sorrow; all for love or all for fear; and cannot well do many things at once, but is apt to separate the Truths and Duties which God hath inseparably conjoyned.
•. And for the seeming Christian, he exerciseth no grace in sincerity, nor is he universal in his Obedience to God; Though he may have the image of every Grace and Duty.
XXXII. 1. A Christian indeed is more in getting and using his Graces, than in enquiring whether he have them. He is very desirous to be assured that he is sincere; but he is more desirous to be so: And he knoweth that even assurance is got more by the exercise and increase of Grace than by bare enquiry whether we have it already; Not that he is a neglecter of self-examination: But he oftener asketh, What shall I do to be saved? than, How shall I know that I shall be saved?