A26917:411
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.
XXXV. 1. A Christian indeed is much taken up in the Government of his Thoughts; and hath them so much ordinarily in obedience, that God and his service, and the matters of his salvation have that precedency in them; and his eye is fixed on his end and duty: And his thoughts refuse not to serve him for any work of God to which he calleth them. He suffereth them not to be the in-lets or agents for Pride, or Lust, or Envy, or Voluptuousness, or to contrive iniquity: But if any such sparks from Hell are cast into his thoughts, he presently laboureth to extinguish them: If they intrude, he letteth them not lodge or dwell there. And though he cannot keep out all disorder or vanity, or inordinate delights; yet ⟨p. 88⟩is it his endeavour, and he leaveth not his heart in any thing to it self.
2. The weak Christian also maketh conscience of his thoughts, and alloweth them not to be the in-lets or servants of any reigning sin: But alas how imperfectly doth he govern them? what a deal of vanity and confusion is in them? how carelessly doth he watch them? how remissly doth he rebuke them, excite them and command them? how oft are they defiled with impurity and uncharitableness? And how little doth he repent of this, or endeavour to reform it? And little serviceable are his thoughts, to any high and heavenly work, in comparison of the confirmed Christian.
2. The weak Christian also maketh conscience of his thoughts, and alloweth them not to be the in-lets or servants of any reigning sin: But alas how imperfectly doth he govern them? what a deal of vanity and confusion is in them? how carelesly doth he watch them? how remisly doth he rebuke them, excite them and command them? how oft are they defiled with impurity and uncharitableness? And how little doth he repent of this, or endeavour to reform it? And little serviceable are his thoughts, to any high and heavenly work, in comparison of the confirmed Christian.