A26917:443
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. The seeming Christian may have some love ⟨p. 106⟩to real Christian, even for their goodness sake: But it is a Love subservient to his carnal self-love: And therefore it shall not cost him much: As he hath some Love to Christ, so he may have some Love to Christians; but he hath more to the world and fleshly pleasures: And therefore all his Love to Christ or Christians, will not make him leave his worldly happiness for them. And therefore Christ at the day of Judgement will not enquire after empty barren love, but after that love which visited and relieved suffering Saints. An hypocrite can allow both Christ and Christians such a cheap superficial kind of love, as will cost him little: He will bid them lovingly, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled, Jam. 2.15, 16, 17. But still the World is most beloved.
3. The seeming Christian may have some love ⟨p. 106⟩to reall Christian, even for their goodness sake: But it is a Love subservient to his carnal self-love: And therefore it shall not cost him much: As he hath some Love to Christ, so he may have some Love to Christians; but he hath more to the world and fleshly pleasures: And therefore all his Love to Christ or Christians, will not make him leave his worldly happiness for them. And therefore Christ at the day of Judgement will not enquire after empty barren love, but after that love which visited and relieved suffering Saints. An hypocrite can allow both Christ and Christians such a cheap superficial kind of love, as will cost him little: He will bid them lovingly, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled, Jam. 2.15, 16, 17. But still the World is most beloved.
XLIV. 1. A Christian indeed doth love his enemies, and forgive those that injure him, and this out of a thankful sense of that grace which forgave him a far greater debt: Not that he thinketh it unlawful to make use of the Justice of the Government which he is under, for his necessary protection, or for the restraint of mens abuse and violence: Nor is he bound to love the malice or injury, though he must love the man: Nor can he forgive a crime as it is against God or the common good, or against another, though he can forgive an injury or debt, that is his own: Nor is he bound to forgive every debt, though he is bound so far to forgive every wrong as heartily to desire the good of him that did it. Even Gods Enemies he so far loveth, as to desire God to convert and pardon them, while he hateth their sin, and hateth them as Gods enemies, and desireth their restraint,